HM MD
by PennyCent
Summary: Murdock didn't really want to stay behind, but he knew he had to. A sick friend trumps all else. Now, if he could only get his patient to stop calling him a fool...   Complete!
1. Chapter 1 IOU

_~Disclaimer: I do not own the A-team.~ Ok, this was going to be a one-shot, but now...well, stuff happens and stories get out of control, I guess. This one seems to have a mind of its own. Feedback is always welcomed. _

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><p><strong>Chapter One: I O U<strong>

Murdock closed his eyes, savoring the cool, rushing air. With Face driving, the vette was almost as pleasant as a plane, almost. Apparently, speed limits were only for people who _couldn't_ con their way out of tickets.

"So, you know what to do right?"

Blinking, he turned to frown at Faceman. Of course he knew what to do. Facey must have gone over the plan a hundred bazillion times already, but he really couldn't blame the guy for being excited.

"Well?" Face raised a brow, his gaze shifting between Murdock and the road. "I just want to make sure everything goes off without a hitch."

The countdown in Murdock's head started. _Three…two…one …and go! _Right on cue, Face flashed a dazzlingly white smile at the pilot.

"Ok, amigo, let's see…" He paused, taking in a deep breath for dramatic effect. "…you drop me off at BA's apartment and then the big guy takes me to pick up_ your _dry-cleaning, Hannibal's cigars, my…um…prescriptions, and then we swing by the youth center so the mudsucker can check in one last time before we stash the van and take a taxi to the docks. That's everything right?"

A quick nod reassured him that it was.

"And I'll…" Face grinned. "…finish getting our paperwork straightened out before picking up Hannibal from the movie set and meeting you at the ship."

"Paperwork from Bridgette, the travel agent?" Murdock asked. "And do I really have to be Mr. Jones? That's such a boring name. I was thinking something more like Mr. Zorro, or, how about, Mr. Bond…Mr. Humperdinck J. Bond?"

"Her name is Samantha and you have to be Mr. Jones because that's the name on the papers." Face eased the car around a corner as they neared the Sergeant's place. "Now, what are we not going to do?"

Murdock sighed. "We are not going to annoy or anger BA. We are not going to forget the dry-cleaning and or soil the clean items in any way. We will not buy Hannibal the exploding cigars. We are also not going to miss the boat."

"Ship," Face said as he stopped the vette.

"Isn't it the same thing?"

"Hardly!" His voice was tinged with disbelief. "How could you call the Crown Jewel, the most expensive, lavish cruise liner in all the fleet, a boat? Do you know what I had to go through to get these tickets? This will probably be, without a doubt, the finest vacation any of us has ever been on or will _ever_ go on again."

"Got in…" Murdock gave a grunt as he leapt out of the vette. "…not a boat."

"Aw, geez, Murdock, can't you use the door like I've asked?"

"No can do, buddy. I got a schedule to keep! Doors take time and time I ain't got!"

Waving madly, Murdock jogged backwards toward the building, only to trip over the curb. He hit the ground and bounded back up, quick to give Face a reassuring grin. Turning to enter the apartment complex, he was certain he could hear Facey sigh. Really, what was there to worry about? Everything was going to be fine. Well, maybe not the dry-cleaning, not after they stopped at the youth center with fudgsicles for all the kids. Yeah, it was probably better he hadn't told Face about that part.

Murdock sprinted up the stairs; BA should have been waiting outside in the van, but, since he wasn't, this was the perfect opportunity to sneak a peek at his apartment.

Giddy with anticipation, he knocked at the door."BA? Are you in there? It's me, Murdock. Come on, we're supposed to be on the road already. Are you still packing up your Bermuda shorts and Hawaiian shirts? It's ok if you don't pack enough, you can borrow some of mine."

He tried turning the knob, but it was locked. Good thing Face had given him BA's spare key.

"BA?" Murdock poked his head inside. "Um, I'm coming in, ok?"

The silence made him pause. Startling the big guy could be disastrous, but they did really needed to get going. Face would throw a fit if they didn't finish their errands.

He stepped into the apartment and gasped. Instantly, a thin layer of perspiration seeped from his skin, and a quick glance at the thermostat confirmed that is was about eighty degrees in the apartment. They'd have to remember to turn that down, or off, before they left.

"Big guy? Are you in here somewhere? What's with the heat? Are you trying to get climatized for the vacation or something?"

He entered the kitchen and gave a snort of disgust at the foul smell. Dishes filled the sink, along with heaps of uneaten, spoiled food. Two empty milk jugs sat on the counter, emitting their own horridly sour odor. Hesitantly, Murdock opened the fridge; BA was totally out of milk.

A mild panic started to settle over him, but he fought it back. Really, this made sense if he thought it over. Of course BA was out of milk, who would go grocery shopping before leaving for a fourteen day cruise? That would just be crazy.

"Are you ready?" Murdock crossed the living room and glanced down the hall. "You know, they got midnight chocolate buffets on the ship. Face showed me a picture." Slowly, he inched his way down the hall. "There was a fountain full of melted chocolate and people were dipping in fruit and these little bread roll thingies."

The bedroom door was ajar; inside, the shades were drawn and a single desk lamp was on. Murdock stepped in, squinting in the dim light.

"And the best part is that you don't have to pay at all because it's included in the package deal. So, we can eat all the chocolate and…"

He froze as his eyes settled on the big guy. Then, Murdock backed out of the room. His mind in a fog, he wandered into the kitchen, picked up the phone and dialed.

"Hey Face…" He tried to keep the disappointment out of his voice.

"_Murdock? I just left you less than ten minutes ago, what could have possibly happened?"_

"I just got into the apartment and BA's pretty sick. I don't think he's going to make this trip"

"_Is it serious?"_

"No, it's nothing too serious. Looks like the flu maybe. I remember him saying it was going around the youth center last week."

"_Maybe he's just resting. Are you sure he's sick?"_

Murdock cringed as he thought of the big guy bundled in blankets, shivering and sweating with the rather full trash can of vomitus beside his bed. "Yeah,muchacho, I'm sure. Why don't you and Hannibal go? I'll stay here until the big guy gets back on his feet."

Face gave a frustrated sigh. "_I don't know about that. I mean, you don't always get along that well with BA and he needs rest, and well…"_

"I'll be good."

For a moment they were both silent. Murdock waited patiently; he knew Face would come around.

"_I mean, if you would…I feel bad leaving you guys behind though. Maybe we should all just stay and…"_

"Nope, Faceman, I can handle this. You and Hannibal need to go and have a good time, ok?"

"_I really don't know about this."_

"Listen, I'm thinking it will be like two or three days until he can get up and about, and then I'll sneak back into the VA and he can have as much quiet time as he needs. It will be fine."

"_Ok, if you're sure…"_

"Of course I'm sure, otherwise I wouldn't have offered. And, if I see you come back here, I'll throw a royal fit. Some of us gotta have a little fun; I want all the details when you get back."

"_Geez, Murdock, we'll do something to make this up to you. I promise."_

"Yeah, yeah…now you'd better get a move on it. That dry-cleaning won't pick itself up."

"_Shoot, I forgot. Gotta go… Thanks buddy!"_

Murdock sadly listened to the click signaling the end their conversation. There was no going back now. He hung up the phone and turned to stare at the pile of dirty dishes. A cruise probably wasn't that much fun anyway. Then, from down the hall, he heard BA start to retch.


	2. Chapter 2 Take Your Medicine

**Chapter Two: Take Your Medicine**

BA groaned as his eyes fluttered opened. He tried to wet his lips, but found his mouth too dry to do so. Thirst was all he had any more, hunger seemed foreign. Eagerly, his gaze strayed to the glass on the nightstand, but it was empty. His dull, fevered mind puzzled over where the water had gone. Had he drank it already? He frowned. More water meant having to get up, move.

A murmured voice sounded from down the hall. BA strained to hear who it was, but the effort to do even that simple task seemed too much for him. The muscles in his stomach tightened and started to contract. That terrible warmth was growing in his belly; he tried to fight it back but…

Rolling to his side, he choked up what little he had managed to eat earlier. The few stale crackers had done him no good. He coughed and gasped until his vision clouded. Closing his eyes, he could feel sleep starting to overtake him. Wasn't there something he was supposed to do? A panic soaked into him, but it was no match for his exhaustion.

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><p>Murdock entered the room and frowned over at the big guy. This was going to take a lot of work.<p>

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><p>Leaving two of his men behind wasn't sitting well with Hannibal. He leaned over the rail, staring out at the swirling ocean water. Well, it couldn't be helped. BA was sick. The fact that Murdock stayed behind actually made Hannibal feel better. The Captain might be a bit quirky, but his blind tenacity and undying loyalty actually made him the most qualified member of the team to deal with an ill BA.<p>

"It's just the flu, right?"

"That's what Murdock said." Face winked at a girl strolling by and was rewarded with a shy giggle. "I'm sure they'll be fine."

Hannibal stepped back from the rail and flopped down onto a deck chair. He liked being on the water; it felt nice, almost like being on the jazz, but in a calm sort of way. Leaning back, he pulled a cigar out of his shirt pocket. Above, seagulls drifted on the breeze; the highest flyers were no more than white smudges in the blue sky. Lighting his cigar, he sighed as he watched the ocean birds. The ship had only left the dock an hour ago, but he had already accustomed himself to the ease of vacation life.

"Colonel? Maybe we should…" Face frowned, uncertainty suddenly stirring in his voice. "…get off at the first port and go back?"

His sense of duty returning, Hannibal nodded. They really shouldn't have left, but…

"Maybe," Hannibal said slowly, "we could call them at the port and see how they're doing. Then, we'll either head back or…"

Face grinned. "I like that. Did you happen to get a look at the Entertainment Director?"

The Colonel laughed. "No, but I'm guessing you did."

"She's a ten Hannibal, a solid ten."

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><p>BA shivered. He didn't want to wake up; that brought back the terrible thirst. Slowly, he opened his eyes and glared at the nightstand. However, his empty glass was no longer empty. Drawing in a raspy breath, he shot a hand forward, reaching for the water. After nearly toppling it over, he managed to maneuver the glass to his mouth and greedily drank.<p>

Slurping the cool liquid, he glanced around. Things were...different, cleaner.

It was difficult, but he forced himself to save half the water. Gently, he set the glass back in place; as soon at the weight slid from his hand, his arm went limp. He hated feeling so weak. With his thirst satisfied, he knew sleep would come soon.

He eyed the nightstand again, a thin sheet of paper suddenly drawing his attention. The dark cursive was neat, almost familiar.

_**BA,**_

_**I'll be back soon. Be good. Take your medicine.**_

_**~M**_

Beside the note, which BA wished he'd noticed before using all his strength, were two little white aspirin tablets. Briefly, he thought about reaching for them, but movement was beyond him now. Sighing, he closed his eyes. A little bit of sleep and then he'd take them.

That elegantly scrawled 'M' at the end of the note bothered him. He knew that 'M'. Someone always signed notes like that for him…but who?

His mind toyed with the mystery as sleep slowly came over him. Then, he smiled and managed to mumble one last word before slumber hit. "Mama?"

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><p>Murdock stumbled into the apartment, grocery bags ripping at the seams. He hoped he'd remembered everything, because he didn't want to leave BA for that long again. The mudsucker had <em>never<em> been this sick before, or at least not that Murdock knew of. In fact, until now, Murdock had kind of thought the guy was immune to most illnesses. He probably just scared them away; which meant this must be one heck of a mean flu.

He hauled the bags into the kitchen, but decided to check in on BA before putting the groceries away.

Silently, he made his way down the hall and into the bedroom. Creeping toward BA, Murdock glanced at the nightstand. The water glass was half full, or half empty depending on how you looked at it, and the pills hadn't been touched.

"Hmm, the big guy must not have seen my note…"

That was too bad. The aspirins would have helped ease BA's aches and pains, and the note itself was something to behold. Those calligraphy classes at the VA were actually coming in handy.

Murdock studied the writing. His favorite part was the swirly 'M.' That was the only letter he had learned to do in that particular style, but he really liked it. He wondered if BA would notice how hard he had worked on it.

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><p>BA drifted in and out of consciousness. He didn't want to be sick anymore; he couldn't stand it. His despair was held at bay by one lone thought; <em>Mama's here, she'll make me better.<em>


	3. Chapter 3 Face It

**Chapter Three: Face It**

Face squirmed through the masses. Hunched over bingo cards, the grey-haired ladies scowled at the intruder moving toward the front of the room. No problem, he could handle that.

Quick to dole out the charm, Face shot out compliments, winks and dazzling, toothy grins. None were invulnerable to his charisma. In fact, a few room numbers were discreetly slipped into his jacket pocket, which made him feel both flattered and slightly disturbed.

Suddenly, he gave a yelp as a sharp pinch pained his backside. Turning, he blinked down at a sweet little old lady. Her white wig dwarfed her tiny wrinkled face. With sparkling eyes, she smiled mischievously up at him.

"Ah…" He smiled back, nervously. "…was that you?"

Her grin widened as she held her thumb and index finger at the ready. "Yeah, kiddo. You want seconds? Maybe a pinch for the other cheek?"

Her little hand lurched at him and he jumped back. Cackles broke out across the room. Maybe a crowd of vintage beauties was too much for him to handle.

Sheepishly, he made his way to the front, making sure to protect his rear from any more aged, roaming hands. Settling into a seat, Face slid his bingo card onto the table. This uncomfortable chase had already forced him into line dancing, karaoke, something called arts and leisure time and now this, but his dark mood faded as a tall, slender blonde made her way onto the stage. Face grinned up at the Entertainment Director; she was so worth it.

"Hello, ladies and…um…" She paused and gave a confused frown. "Gentlemen?" Her composure regained, a wide smile spread across her face as she addressed the room. "My name is Melanie, and I'll be your caller today. Welcome to the one o'clock bingo game!"

The painfully slow procedure of drawing numbers began. Face waited in anticipation. He didn't want to win; hell, he wasn't even marking his card. What he wanted was…

"BINGO!" A woman shrieked.

"Alright, let's have someone check the card." Melanie's voice was smooth and terribly pleasing. "It will be just a moment folks."

This was what Face wanted. Leaning forward, he quickly drew Melanie's attention. Her beautiful, though slightly vacant, eyes gleamed as she smiled down at him.

"We don't get many men coming to bingo. The ladies don't seem to like to bring their husbands, or the husbands don't seem to like coming; I'm not sure which it is. What brings you here? Are you a fan of the game?"

"No, but I'm a fan of yours." He cringed after the words were out. Had he really said that?

To his surprise, she giggled. Wow, he had thought this girl would need his A-game, but that didn't appear to be the case.

She toyed with the bingo cage, her eyes still fixed on him. "You must be pretty well off to be able to afford a trip like this."

Ah, one of those types. Well, he knew how to play that game.

"I was just fortunate enough to be born into the money." He liked that lie the best; it was the simplest.

Her face lit up. Yep, he found her weakness. She leaned forward, her…uh… assets becoming even more obvious and difficult not to stare at.

"I know this place at the next port…" Her hushed voice had suddenly turned spine-tinglingly husky. "…which is _very _private. It has the most beautiful waterfalls. Would you like to see it? I can take you there, if you'd like."

Dumbfounded, Face nodded. He hadn't expected her to be _that_ easy. He opened his mouth to at least say something, but, in a flash, she was back cranking the bingo cage.

"Ok folks…" She smiled out at the crowd. "…we have a confirmed bingo! So, let's start the next game. Get your cards ready!"

Face smiled to himself. Sure, he still felt bad that Murdock and BA weren't able to make the trip, but really, this was turning into one of the best vacations ever. He leaned back in his chair, deciding to stay put until the last game was over. Maybe he'd get a few moments at the end of bingo to have a conversation with Melanie, but that was a longshot; she never seemed to have even a second of free time.

He let his mind wander as the numbers were being read. A private paradise with waterfalls and a beautiful woman, what more could he ask for?

"BINGO!"

Face sat up, daydreams broken by the familiar voice. "Hannibal?"

He twisted around in his chair, straining to see the back of the room, and, sure enough, there was the Colonel. Hannibal was chuckling loudly as he gave the woman next to him a high-five. A cigar clenched between his teeth, he smiled up at Face.

"I didn't think I'd see you here, Lieutenant."

Face frowned. How had he not noticed Hannibal when he came in? It must have been the white hair; he had blended in.

"Mr. Smith!" Melanie squealed. "You have the devil's luck! Ok folks, you know the drill. We'll just confirm the bingo before the next round can begin." Again she leaned toward Face. "Do you know that man? Mr. Smith? He's been to every game."

Hannibal handed his card over to an attendant. The eager gleam in the Colonel's eyes made it clear he was on the Jazz, the bingo jazz. Seeing as this was the first time Face had mustered up the gall to enter the bingo hall, it wasn't any wonder he hadn't seen the Colonel in there before.

"_Every_ game? I had no idea."

"So, you know him?" She sounded….hopeful?

"Yeah." He glanced up at her, wanting to get a better read on her expressions. "He's my uncle."

She grinned. "So, he's rich too?"

"No." The reply came out a little too fast, but Face was quick to recover. "He's from my father's side. My mother's side has all the wealth."

Her hazel eyes were fixed back on Hannibal. "But…he's an actor, right?"

He hesitated before answering. "Yes, he is."

"Good," she said with a sigh. "That's what he said."

He was about to ask when exactly Hannibal had told her that, but he didn't get the chance.

"Hey, Face, look…" Hannibal's excited voice rose over the ladies' chatter, as he held his card up for his Lieutenant to see. "I won!"

Face forced a smile and waved back at the man. This was the last thing he had expected, and then…

"Oh, Melanie…" Hannibal was grinning from ear to ear. "…can we take Face with us? You know, to that place you were telling me about with the waterfalls; I think he'd like it. From how you describe it, I really think it will be the perfect place for my next film to shoot. I can't wait to see it."

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><p>Murdock peeked into BA's room. He was worried. The big guy's temperature had been pretty high and wasn't showing any signs of breaking. Tiptoeing into the room, he paused to turn on the dim table lamp. The light flicked on and BA gave a slight groan. Carefully, Murdock crept closer and gently felt the mudsucker's forehead. It was still hot, too hot.<p>

From the nightstand, he took a washcloth from a bowl of cool water; he rung out the excess, and laid the cloth across BA's burning brow. The Sergeant stirred, his eyes almost fluttering open, but then he was still again.

A low mumbled came from BA, but all Murdock could make out was "Mau?"

"It's ok," Murdock whispered, "I'm here."

BA's eyes snapped open and quickly focused on the Captain. Murdock offered up a weak smile, but he was pretty sure that something very bad was about to happen, and he had no idea why.


	4. Chapter 4 Mad, Mad World

**Chapter Four: Mad, Mad World**

Murdock slumped onto the couch. He hadn't thought BA would be able to yell for that long; well, in fairness, it had turned into a hoarse, angry whisper near the end. Only exhaustion had managed to quiet the big guy.

Closing his eyes, the Captain leaned back, his legs hanging off the end of the loveseat. Taking care of the Sergeant was turning into a full time job. He sighed before slowly getting to his feet. The soup would be done soon; it was Grandma Murdock's special recipe. If anything made BA better, this would be it.

Trudging into the kitchen, Murdock mulled over what had just happened. Ok, in reflection, he did seem to vaguely recall Mama Baracus signing her notes with a squiggly M. No wonder the big guy had been so adamant about seeing his ma, and it became apparent quite quickly that Murdock was not going to be an accepted substitute for Mother B. He'd actually never heard BA shout the word 'fool' so many consecutive times in a row before. That really could have gone better.

Of course, just as soon as BA had managed to calm down over the whole Mama fiasco, Murdock had to go and open his mouth and remind the big guy about the cruise. BA actually tried to get up and start packing. It had been a mammoth task trying to convince the Sergeant's fevered mind that they had already missed the boat…ah…uh…ship.

And, as fatigue settled in, BA ended his tirade by stating that he _was not_ sick and _did not_ need Murdock's help. That was going to make taking care of the big guy a little difficult, but the Captain did enjoy a good challenge.

After tying on his apron, Murdock carefully stirred the soup. Grandma always said love was the most important part of any meal, that and salt. Smiling to himself, he ladled up a bowlful of the broth. Maybe later BA would graduate to noodles and chicken in his bowl, but for now, it was best to be on the safe side.

Slowly, Murdock crept down the hall and peered into the bedroom. BA was still fast asleep. Quietly dashing in, the Captain set the bowl on the nightstand before making a hasty retreat. He paused at the door, glancing back at the still figure. He hoped the man woke before the broth got too cold; it really was better warm.

With a sigh, Murdock couldn't help but wonder what Face and Hannibal were up to at that moment; it had to be better than this.

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><p>Hannibal sat on the edge of the bed in his stateroom watching Face pace back and forth. The younger man had yet to say anything, though he had halted several times, opened his mouth and then snapped it back shut rather abruptly. So, there certainly seemed to be something on his mind.<p>

"Listen, Face, she overheard me telling Mable about the film industry. I really wasn't going after Melanie or anything. I mean, I would have, but I knew you were already in pursuit." Though he'd be reluctant to admit it, Hannibal rather enjoyed how frazzled Face was.

"Yeah," Face frowned, "and what about bingo? How'd you just happen to end up at bingo _every game_? That's how you met, right?"

"_Because…" _He was getting tired of explaining this to Face. "…I like bingo. It's fun."

"You can't really expect me to believe that you…"

Hannibal reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a fistful of papers. "I like playing bingo. I get to chat about mindless stuff with the older ladies and I win a lot. Look at all these."

Face stepped forward and poked through the slips. "What are they exactly?"

"They're credits to use at the gift shop. I'm thinking about saving them up and getting BA and Murdock a souvenir." He crammed them back into his pocket. "Maybe a tee-shirt for the Captain and one of those snow globes for BA. What do you think?"

"What do I think?" Face shrugged. "I think you could just buy that stuff without having to play bingo to win credits. I don't get it."

"Ah," Hannibal grinned, "I don't know…I just like that this feels like the Jazz. Have you got my…"

Face had a cigar out before Hannibal had even finished asking for it.

"Thanks." He fumbled through his pockets, looking for a lighter, until Face handed him one.

"You're welcome," Face muttered as he turned away.

"You know, I was flattered that she invited me, but I knew she just wanted a part in my next film. She's an Entertainment Director on a cruise ship, so…"

Face spun around with a wide grin. "She wants to be an actress, of course!"

"I thought I'd accept her offer, bring you along and then maybe I'd get lost somewhere along the way. Not that I wasn't tempted to go this one alone, but it's bad enough two of my men have already been disappointed with this trip, I couldn't have it be all three of you."

"Hannibal," Face was positively beaming. "You're the best, but you know…I got invited all on my own. I never needed your help."

"Yeah." Hannibal lit his cigar. "But you might have."

Face laughed. "Yeah, right. So, you're not going now, are you?"

"Oh, I'm still going. I was serious about this location. My producer is nearly pulling his hair out looking for the perfect setting. This could be it, but I'll make myself scarce."

"Real scarce," Face added.

Hannibal chuckled. Yeah, it was nice to see that he still had it; he got the girl's invite way before Face and the kid was never going to live it down. Still, he didn't mind letting Face get the girl. Any gal asking two guys to a private paradise was a little too hinky for him.

* * *

><p>Murdock slipped back into the dark apartment. He really hadn't wanted to leave the big guy alone, but he hadn't had much choice. Unzipping his backpack, he took out the IV and bags of saline he had <em>borrowed<em> from the local hospital.

Ba hadn't been able to hold down even water and his temperature was dangerously high. Taking him to the hospital was still an option, but the Sergeant wasn't that inconspicuous and would be a rather easy target for Decker in his current state.

Grabbing up the IV and a bag of saline, Murdock started toward the hall before stopping. Quickly he spun around and riffled through the backpack again until he pulled out a teddy bear.

"Ok, amigo, here's the deal." He held the bear up, looking him square in his little black button eyes. "My friend is _very_ under the weather, and he needs some cheering up. I think you're the bear for the job. Are you with me on this one?" Murdock paused and then smiled. "I knew you were the one! Ok, you distract him while I give him the IV, ok?"

Clutching the bear tight, Murdock made his way to the bedroom. If this didn't work, he wasn't sure what he was going to do. He really hoped that Face and Hannibal would call in the morning once they reached port. They would, right? Of course, Facey and Hannibal were really good about that sort of thing.


	5. Chapter 5 Three's a Crowd

**Chapter Five: Three's a Crowd**

The town of Ensenada really was quite beautiful. Taking in a deep breath of the fresh ocean air, Hannibal strolled down the gangplank. "Ok, first thing's first, we call Murdock."

Behind him, Face sighed. "Of course we call Murdock first. I wouldn't dream of…"

"Yoo-hoo!" From ashore, Melanie bounced up and down, waving frantically at the guys. "I'm over here."

"I-I…wouldn't…. dream of…." Face's voice trailed off, but Hannibal hardly noticed; it was hard to focus on anything except the buxom blonde anxiously hoping about.

"Come on, hurry up," Melanie yelled, motioning them to follow her. "This way…" Then, she vanished into the crowd.

Hannibal blinked, his mental functions returning now that the bounding beauty was out of his sight. He turned, ready to share a grin with Face, when the Lieutenant suddenly pushed past. Barreling down the gangplank, Face disappeared into the crowd. Frozen in place, Hannibal stared into the mass of people on the street for a moment, and then he chuckled.

"Good luck, Face," he said, pulling a cigar from his pocket.

Slowly, Hannibal strolled onto dry land. Maybe he'd check out the tourist traps. One of the gals from bingo had told him about a good place to go for drinks, Hussong's Cantina. He was just about to ask a shopkeeper for directions when a very dejected looking Face reappeared.

Taking the cigar from his mouth, the Colonel frowned. "What gives?"

Hands in his pockets, Face shrugged. "She…she won't go without you. She's got a taxi waiting for us."

"Well," Hannibal replied, trying to keep at least some of the delight from his voice. "It sure was nice of you to come back for me, but I think I'll just check out a local pub if that's ok with you."

"That would be perfect, but Melanie already made it perfectly clear that she's not going to budge until she sees you in that taxi." Face's brow was creased, and his cheeks flushed crimson. "I tried every angle and she still wouldn't give an inch. Hannibal, you gotta come along and then…"

"Vanish when we get to paradise?"

"Exactly!" At Face's overly exuberant tone, a few people turned to stare curiously at the two men. "And I saw a sign for a telephone over by the taxi."

Ignoring the gawkers, Hannibal slipped the cigar back between his teeth. Should he go? The Cantina was sounding pretty inviting and another bingo game was starting in an hour on the ship. A cold shiver ran through him. Ok, his fondness for bingo was even starting to give him the creeps.

"Ok, Face, lead the way."

* * *

><p>BA sat up. Through the slats in the closed blinds he could see daylight. What time was it? He glanced at the clock; it said twelve. On the nightstand there was a bowl of soup, a glass of water and a note sloppily written in crayon.<p>

_Dear BA,_

_Enjoy the soup. Yell if you need anything, or tell Barry and he'll come find me._

_~Murdock (__Not__ your Mama)_

BA frowned. The crazy man was getting crazier, and who was Barry? Reaching for the soup, he caught sight of the teddy bear sitting on the edge of his bed. Barry? Yeah, he seemed to recall something about the fool tucking him in with that damn bear, and every time he managed to fling the stuffed animal across the room, he always woke up with it snuggled under his arm again. Grown men did _not_ sleep with teddy bears.

With his elbow, he nudged Barry off the bed. Satisfied that the bear was well out of sight, BA picked up the bowl of soup and grinned. There were noodles and chicken with the broth this time, and that was a good thing; he was starving.

Scooping up a spoonful of noodles, he felt a slight pinch in his left arm. Glancing down, he was surprised to see an IV. His gaze followed the line up to the saline bag hanging beside his bed. Had Murdock done that? He slurped up the noodles as he frowned at the IV. His memories of the previous night were hazy and scattered; the fever must have been messing with him.

He was about to spoon up more noodles when movement drew his attention. Murdock slowly peeked around the doorway, only his baseball cap and shiny brown eyes sliding into view. BA growled, more out of instinct than anything else, and the fool quickly fled. Though he felt a little bad, the Sergeant chuckled. Still smiling, he took in another mouthful of soup. Maybe it had been a good thing the fool had stuck around; he might not have been as good as Mama, but he was…alright.

* * *

><p>Face groaned; this day really wasn't going his way. "Out of order?" He pulled the sign off the phone and picked up the handset, listening for a dial tone. "Yep, it's not working."<p>

"There's gotta be another phone around here." Hannibal glanced around.

"You know…" Melanie's soft voice made both the men jump. "There's a phone at the place I told you about."

Face grinned, mostly to hide how startled he had been. Geez, she'd come out of nowhere.

"There's a phone…" Hannibal frowned. "…at the waterfalls?"

A giddy laugh escaped from the woman. "No, silly, at the village near the waterfalls. Come on, I'm almost starting to think you don't want to go."

"Oh, we _want_ to go." Face gave the Colonel a sharp jab. "Don't we?"

"Ouch… yeah. We want to go."

Melanie took each of them by an arm and started to plow through the crowds. She wove between taco stands and stores until they ended up, at last, standing in front of one of the shabbiest looking taxis Face had ever laid eyes on. Canary yellow with the word 'TAXI' spray painted on the side, the car sat sputtering and choking as it idled.

Face bit his lower lip as he stared at the beast of a vehicle. "Wow, you know…I really don't think it's such a good idea to take that particular taxi." He turned and cringed as he saw Melanie's eyes start to water.

"I already paid…and there are no refunds," she sniffed. "I'm sorry."

"Oh no, this will be fine." Face opened the door and tried not to grimace as a wave of heat escaped from the car; obviously it didn't have any air conditioning…great.

"Good, get in." Melanie practically shoved them inside.

Face scooted to the far side, giving Hannibal room to slide in beside him, and that's when he noticed that the backseat was already occupied. A rather mousy looking fellow in a tweed suit and thick glasses glared over at Hannibal and Face.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"Um Melanie?" Face glanced over at the door and felt his heart sink as she slammed it shut without getting in. "Who is this gentleman and why aren't you in here with us?"

Melanie giggled. "Oh, that's Harold. He really wanted to see the waterfalls too, and I can't come; I have bingo in less than an hour. You boys have fun now." She stepped up to the driver's window. "Can I have my change, please?"

Feeling sick, Face watched Melanie saunter away. What was her game? "I just don't understand this," he blurted out. "I don't understand that woman."

The taxi lurched forward, quickly making its way through the town.

"Hey, buddy…" Hannibal knocked on the wire covered window separating them from the driver. "You can keep the money, but we really don't want to go see the waterfalls anymore, ok?"

"You know what I don't understand…" Harold said, his nasally voice a mere whisper.

Hannibal knocked on the partition again, but the driver took no notice and the taxi sped on.

"…I don't understand why he gave her any change." Harold eyed the driver nervously. "I mean, I _never _saw her pay him anything." He turned, his gaze meeting Hannibal's. "And did you see that wad of cash he handed to her? That looked like some serious money."

Quickly, Hannibal reached for his door, jiggled the handle and then frowned over at Face. Leaning over Harold, Face tried the other door, but it too wouldn't budge.

* * *

><p>Murdock had just finished folding a stack of BA's camo-pants when the phone rang.<p>

"Hullo?"

"_Murdock?"_

"Facey! I sure am glad to hear from you. BA's doing better, but last night was something else. I've never been so worried about the ugly mudsucker before! I mean, I was…"

"_Yeah, it's good to hear he's doing better…um..well…we….er…Murdock?"_

"What is it muchacho? Having too much fun?" Murdock chuckled. "Is it everything you told me about and so much more?"

"_We've kind of gotten ourselves kidnapped."_

"Kidnapped?"

"Who you talking to, fool?" BA's voice bellowed from down the hall. "Who got kidnapped?"

Murdock covered the phone. "No one, BA. Go back to sleep."

"You're lying to me. I know it. Tell me now, or I'll…"

Murdock frowned as he whispered into the phone. "Faceman, are you still there?"

"_Yeah, but I've got to go. They want one hundred thousand dollars brought to Ensenada in three days, or else they will…"_

The line suddenly went dead.

"Facey? Are you there? Faceman?"

"I knew it!" BA grunted as he staggered into the living room. "Face and Hannibal got captured, didn't they?"

Murdock sighed. This wasn't good.


	6. Chapter 6 On a Wing and a Prayer

**Chapter Six: On a Wing and a Prayer**

Again, the phone rang and Murdock swiftly answered. "Hullo? Face, are you there?"

He held his breath and listened to the silence. BA gave a low growl from across the room and Murdock glanced up at the big guy. He didn't look so good. His weary face glistened with a layer of sweat as he clung to the back of the couch for support. BA needed to be back in bed; he needed to be resting, but Murdock had to deal with one problem at a time.

Finally, the Captain broke the quiet. "Is anyone there? Hullo?"

"_We have your uncle and cousin."_ The man's voice was low, calm; he had done this before. "_If you ever want to see them again, bring one hundred thousand dollars to Ensenada's western most post office three days from now. At noon, look for the green Chrysler. Make us wait, and we start cutting off fingers. Involve the authorities, and your relatives die. Come alone."_

A click sounded. Slowly, Murdock lowered the phone. He felt tired, but he shook off the weariness, or at least managed to ignore it. Moping wasn't allowed; this was a time for action. This was a time for…

"Fool, what'd they say?"

Murdock jumped. He'd forgotten about BA. What was he going to do with the mudsucker? He couldn't take him, could he? In such a weak state, the Sergeant wouldn't be much help.

"BA…" He kept his eyes on the ground, not daring to meet the big guy's gaze. "I don't think it's such a good idea for you to come. I mean…well…you know…I'm going to have to fly to get down there and you…"

"So?" BA stood straight, his fists clenched and jaw tightened. "We fly then. I'm not staying behind, not if Face and Hannibal are in trouble."

Murdock blinked. BA was agreeing to fly? Maybe his fever was back. Taking a few steps forward, he reached up and pressed his hand to the Sergeant's forehead. It was warm; maybe still slightly fevered, but not as bad as earlier.

BA jerked away, glaring at the Captain. "Fool, stop messing around and go get us a plane. I'm fine."

"I don't think I heard you right. You are willingly going to get on a plane that I will be flying. I didn't think I'd ever…"

"GET MOVING!"

Murdock's legs were pumping before his mind had time to process the command. Grabbing his jacket, he dashed out the door; a slight dread crept over him. Sure, he had always wanted BA to ask to fly with him, but this was different. This wasn't for fun, and Murdock had still noted the fear in the big guy's eyes. There was no way he could take a conscious BA on the plane, but if he left him behind, he was pretty sure the Sergeant would try to make his way to Ensenada on his own.

Sprinting down the stairs, Murdock started plotting. This was going to be tricky.

* * *

><p>BA watched the crazy man race out of the apartment. The fool wasn't going to leave him behind. Even if he had to get on a damn plane, he wasn't getting left behind. He was tired of being sick, and if his team needed him, then he would be there.<p>

Frowning, he made his way to the couch and sat. Beside him was a wadded up blanket and a pile of comics. Had the fool been sleeping on the couch? It was too small. He imagined the crazy man all cramped up on the tiny sofa; that had to be uncomfortable.

Then, BA's thoughts drifted from Murdock to the upcoming flight. Suddenly, terror filled him as a realization dawned on him; he really wasn't sure if he could get on the plane.

* * *

><p>Hannibal sat up as the door to the room opened. He had been tense ever since the men had taken Face away. Had that been fifteen minutes ago, an hour? A figure stumbled into the room before the door slammed shut.<p>

Frowning up at the timid man standing before him, Hannibal sighed. Harold looked ready to wet himself, if he hadn't already.

"Have you seen my friend, the man who was in the taxi with us?"

Harold frowned. "You mean the blonde guy? Yeah, they had him there, in the main room with me. They made me call my wife. Fifty thousand dollars is what they want her to bring. Your friend called your nephew and asked for one hundred thousand."

"Nephew?"

Trembling, Harold eased himself onto the cot that Hannibal wasn't occupying. "Mirdoch, or something like that." The man shuddered. "They said they would start cutting off our fingers if they didn't get their money on time. Just like they did with Kevin."

"Kevin?" Hannibal leaned forward, staring hard at the teary-eyed man. "Who is that?"

"T-the man t-they took away with y-your friend…" Harold was definitely starting to lose it. "H-he had t-t-two fingers missing already. His w-wife wouldn't pay. Oh god… I hope Carol pays. I don't w-want to lose my fingers."

"It's ok Harold." Hannibal kept his tone smooth, friendly. "I wouldn't worry too much about losing a finger. We'll get out of this, I promise."

But the quivering man seemed to totally ignore the reassurance. Pulling his knees up to his chest, he rocked back and forth quietly whispering to himself. "She'll pay. She loves me. She'll pay."

* * *

><p>Face studied the room. It consisted of cement walls, floors and ceiling all painted off-white. There were two cots, though one was occupied by the man named Kevin. He had slumped into it the moment they had been shut into the room. With his back to Face, the man huffed loudly as he pulled a wool blanket over himself.<p>

Well, Face couldn't blame the guy for being anti-social. Earlier, he had managed to sneak a peek at Kevin's bandaged hand and confirmed that at least two fingers had been removed. Plus, it didn't sound like the guy's last phone call had gone well. Face had nervously sat next to him as he yelled at his wife over the line. It really didn't seem like anyone wanted to pay his ransom.

Edging around the room, Face frowned at the door. The hinges were on the outside, and there wasn't a handle on the inside to fiddle with. Picking the lock wasn't an option. He glanced up, his gaze scanning the ceiling. There weren't any vent either. So much for sneaking quietly away.

Flopping down onto his cot, Face lowered his head into his hands. This was _his_ fault. He had let himself get distracted by Melanie; he had ignored all the red flags because of her. And now Murdock and BA were probably on their way down, even though the Sergeant was certainly still sick.

Face sighed; all he had wanted was one nice, ordinary vacation, was that really too much to ask for?


	7. Chapter 7 Cookies Can't Help

**Chapter Seven: Cookies Can't Help**

Murdock opened the door and peeked in; the apartment was quiet. The door creaked softly as he entered. Ok, a creepy ominous vibe was certainly present.

He closed the door and glanced around the room. "BA?"

Getting a plane hadn't been difficult. Murdock pulled the whole aviation inspection scam and managed to procure a Cessna 172 Skyhawk for the next week; that should be plenty of time. Doubts still lingered though. If he included the time the border crossing would take, Ensenada was only about a four hour drive away. They could take the van.

No, driving would eat up precious time, and, without Face, he was going to need every second to weasel up information on these kidnappers.

He set down his lone grocery bag but kept a hold of the small carton of milk he had picked up for BA. He paused. What was that delightful smell? Turning toward the kitchen, he spotted the tray of chocolate chip cookies sitting on the counter. Next to the tray was a note.

_Murdock,_

_Thanks for helping out. Have a cookie._

_~BA_

Licking his lips, the Captain studied the treats. They looked so good. He hadn't known BA could cook; his mama must have taught him. Setting the carton of milk on the counter, he bit his lip. He reached forward, slowly. This was weird, but that mouthwateringly sweet aroma was like a siren's call. Taking the largest cookie from the top of the stack, he took a bite.

The chips were still hot and gooey, just the way Murdock liked. He was about halfway through the cookie when he heard a snicker come from the hallway. He turned and froze in place as he spotted a grinning BA staring back at him.

"Fool, you ain't gonna drug me this time."

Murdock puzzled over the statement, but then he felt a weakness start to drift into his legs. Dropping the cookie, he leaned against the counter. What had BA done?

"Big guy? I-I don't think this is such a good idea." He wanted to say more as he slid to the ground, but it was getting harder to force any words out.

BA must have made his way across the room, because he was suddenly leaning over the Captain. "It's ok, fool, we just gonna drive down there. When you wake up, we'll be in Ensenada. Now you know what it feels like."

Murdock gave a slow blink, fighting to stay awake. "BA…d-don't…" He had to warn him, before it was too late, but the drugs wouldn't allow it, and darkness soon overcame him.

* * *

><p>BA smiled as he watched the Captain slowly relax; his eyes fluttering shut. It was nice being on the opposite end of this whole drugging thing.<p>

Stepping over Murdock, the Sergeant grabbed a cookie off the plate. It had been a risk only drugging the one, but he knew the fool was greedy when it came to the sweet stuff; taking the largest cookie was just in his nature.

He wolfed down the cookie and then grabbed another. His mama's recipe was the best; they would have been better if she had actually made them, but he'd done ok. Then, he noticed the milk on the counter. He picked up the carton and studied it. The fool must have stopped at the store on the way back; that was nice of him, but BA was certain it was drugged.

"I'm on to you this time," BA said, setting down the milk as he glanced at Murdock. The fool couldn't outsmart him, not this time.

Still, the cookies fueled his thirst. He was about to head into the kitchen when he noticed the juice box peeking out from Murdock's jacket pocket. Leaning down, BA pried the drink free. It was grape, Murdock's favorite.

He stood, strolled over to the table and sat as he maneuvered the tiny straw into the juice box. Taking a sip, he grinned at the still man on the floor. Now, there was no way they were going to fly. BA had won. They were going to…going to…

Why did his arms feel so heavy all of the sudden? He leaned back in his chair, carefully setting his drink down. Murdock couldn't have…not the juice? BA felt the familiar grasp of a drug induced sleep start to drift over him. He knew from experience there would be no fighting it; still, he used the last of his strength to shift his gaze to Murdock. The crazy man wasn't stirring. Closing his eyes, BA let out a low groan, and then he passed out.

* * *

><p>Face had been sleeping when the guards entered the room. Alert in seconds, he was on his feet, ready to exploit any weakness he saw, but the three heavily armed men soon dashed any hopes of escape. They stood at the doorway, guns aimed at their prisoners. A few bottles of water and stale loaves of bread were tossed into the room.<p>

One of the guards, a thin man with dark greying hair, leaned forward. "Kevin, you got anyone else you can call? Anyone who will pay for your freedom? Think hard, my friend."

Face glanced back and found Kevin sitting up; his expression was dull save for a hint of anger pulling his mouth into a tight frown.

Kevin's dark eyes narrowed as he shook his head.

"You know," the guard said, smiling. "Your wife agreed to pay, finally."

Kevin blinked, his frown eased. "She did?"

"Yeah," another guard chuckled, "She agreed to pay never to see you again. We get the money in three days. I don't think she likes you very much."

Then, the door slammed shut, drowning out the men's gruff laughter. Face crept forward and grabbed the two bottles of water. Moving back, he held one out for Kevin, but the man didn't seem to notice.

As his vacant gaze focused on the ground, Kevin's jaw quivered. He had been stoically reserved up until this moment, but Face knew the man was breaking.

"You know…" Face eased down onto the cot next to him; if they had any chance of escaping, it was going to be important to keep the guy calm. "…I have some friends that will get us, all of us, out of this."

Kevin looked up, hope sparkling in his eyes. "Really?"

Face smiled. "Yeah. In fact, I'm sure they are on their way here right now."


	8. Chapter 8 Sugar Crash

**Chapter Eight: Sugar Crash**

Murdock woke, face down on the ground. Groaning, he tried to roll over. His stiff body protested but then gave in. Lying flat on his back, he drowsily listened to the sounds around him. Funny, Ensenada had a lot of the same noises as BA's apartment, but there was no way they were still at…

Murdock's eyes popped open as he swallowed down his dread. They were still in the apartment! Sitting up, he cast a desperate glance over at the kitchen; BA snoozed blissfully in a chair with the grape juice on the table in front of him. Yep, that had worked out just like Murdock had planned, well, almost.

Outside, dusk was setting. Murdock glanced at the clock. He had been out for about four hours. Good thing BA hadn't drugged him with anything stronger. The Captain grinned over at the mudsucker; at least he still had the upper hand on the Sergeant. That grape juice had enough kick to keep BA down until the wee hours of the morning. He had wanted the big guy to get as much rest as possible.

Wobbling to his feet, Murdock frowned at the cookies. They looked so good. He _really_ wanted one, but…

"Man, can't even trust a cookie now a days…" He muttered. "I'm gonna give that mudsucker a piece o' my mind when he wakes up."

BA gave a sudden loud snore causing Murdock to flinch. With an unblinking stare, he watched the Sergeant. Maybe, he'd let the whole cookie thing slide this time; he hoped the big guy would do the same for the grape juice.

Giving a contented sigh, BA smacked his lips and then continued with his even, rhythmic snores. Murdock frowned. Too much time had been lost already; he had to get moving.

* * *

><p>Hannibal cringed as Harold broke down into sobs once again. Some of the Colonel's irritation might have been over his <em>other<em> predicament though. He glared down at the cigar clenched in his teeth. A pocket full of cigars and him without a match, that was a cruel twist of fate.

"Uh, Harold?"

The weepy man glanced up, his red eyes blinking away tears. "Y-yeah?"

Hannibal smiled politely. "Now, you're sure you don't have a lighter or a match on you?"

Harold shook his head, his lip starting to quiver, his face contorting into a childlike despair.

"I'd even take a couple of sticks. Anything like that? You know, I could rub them together and…"

The pitiful wail that sounded cut Hannibal off. He grimaced as he watched tears and snot trickle down Harold's cheeks and upper lip. He knew he should do something; the man needed to be comforted, but this was pretty far out of the Colonel's comfort zone. Well then, he'd just handle Harold like he would any of his men.

"Hey! That's enough. Calm yourself! Getting all worked up isn't going to help get us out of here, understand?"

Taking in one last deep, quaking breath, Harold nodded.

"Good. Now, I promise you that we will get out of here, but I need you to not…do all that…you know…" Hannibal frowned. "…crying, ok?"

Again, Harold nodded, but this time he also gave a lopsided, reluctant smile. Hannibal forced himself to grin back. Well, it was a step up from bawling like a teenage girl. Harold slowly settled down into his cot and was soon asleep. With a sigh, the Colonel leaned back and closed his eyes. Outside, he could hear a storm raging as wind and rain pounded the building. It was time for some serious planning.

* * *

><p>BA snuggled down in his chair. Warmth enveloped him; he could feel the soft folds of a blanket surrounding him. This was cozy, except for the lump under his arm. He shifted, trying to jar loose the furry item. Still fighting to remain in his peaceful slumber, he frowned. Barry? Had that fool tucked him in with the bear again?<p>

Groggily, he started to lift an arm to toss the stuffed animal aside, but his movement was restricted. Sleep fading, he opened his eyes and yanked his arms upward, but they were held firmly by thick rope. The blanket slid free, exposing the additional knots and lengths of rope around his chest and Barry.

"Fool! What'd you do?"

It was then that the familiar dip and sway of flight registered with him.

"I'm on a plane! Fool, I'm on a plane!"

Thrashing about, he could feel the restraints starting to loosen. Just ahead of him, he caught sight of the crazy man in the cockpit. It was dark, but his lean figure was visible from the dim light of the control panel. The plane dipped and wove, obviously struggling.

"What is happening up there? Murdock, you better not crash this plane!"

Over the howling wind, he barely heard the Captain's strained laughter.

* * *

><p>Murdock knew BA was working himself free. Five more minutes and they would have been on the ground; why hadn't the big guy just stayed asleep for a bit longer? He glanced back, the Sergeant was nearly loose. They weren't going to make it to the airstrip in time. He laughed softly to himself; wasn't that just his luck?<p>

"Fool, I'm gonna kill you. I didn't want to go on…"

The plane dropped a few feet, and Murdock felt that twinge of surprise fluttering in his belly. This storm was far worse than any of the forecasters had predicted. It was going to take all his focus to…

A pressing warmth encased his neck. With one hand still on the controls, he brought the other up to futilely pull at the hands strangling him. Murdock glanced up, catching sight of BA. This wasn't anger, he noted that right away. If it had been anger, he could have still reasoned with the man. No, this was pure terror, and there was no reasoning with that.

He could feel his body starting to tremble, demanding more oxygen. Limbs growing heavy, he fought off the darkness threatening to overtake him. If he gave up…

The plane sputtered a little; its struggle with the storm hampered by Murdock's weakening grasp.

_Maybe_, Murdock thought miserably as BA's grip tightened, _I should have eaten just one more of those cookies._ And then, he passed out.


	9. Chapter 9 Cat and Tonic?

**Chapter Nine: Cat and Tonic?**

Murdock blinked as he was shaken awake, but he soon realized it wasn't a person jostling him. He sprang forward and took hold of the controls. The plane was losing altitude, fast. He struggled to level the Cessna off, fighting against the wind. Glancing at the gauges, the Captain guessed that he had blacked out for only a few seconds. In his peripheral vision, he could see the catatonic BA lying on the floor.

Through the darkness, a twinkle on the ground drew his attention and he grinned as he spotted the welcoming strips of lights. The plane shuddered; he had to get it down, now. Slowly, he descended, heading for the airstrip.

"Ok, mudsucker, you just stay right there…" Murdock glanced at BA. "…and I'll get us down in one piece, I promise. Man, I told Barry to keep an eye on you. I'm gonna have to have a talk with him."

Another gust of wind lashed at the plane. _This _was not going to be a smooth landing. With a sigh, Murdock radioed the tower.

* * *

><p>"GET UP!"<p>

Face groaned, squinting against the harsh light flooding through the door. Kevin rose quickly, fists clenched but expression nearly unreadable. Still, being a conman, Face could see the fear concealed in the man's eyes.

"I said…" The silhouette of a dark figure moved against the light, the tale-tell shape of a rifle in his hand. "GET UP!"

Stumbling to his feet, Face raised a hand to shield his eyes. Who was this? What did he want?

The mystery man gave a gruff laugh. "It's time for a change of scenery."

Face frowned and cast a worried glance over at Kevin; the man was actually smiling. Had he read the man wrong? Was he working with the kidnappers?

Undoubtedly noting Face's concern, Kevin gave a soft chuckle. "They're going to take us to new locations. They do that every so often. I'm just relieved they're not here to kill me, yet."

"Follow me," the figure in the doorway growled before stepping away.

"Locations? As in plural?" Nervously, Face ran a hand through his hair.

Kevin took a step toward the door, staring at the world outside their room. "Yeah, you and me will be going our separate ways. Every couple of days they move all their hostages around. No one can find us, no one. Your family either pays, or…"

Face grimaced at the thought. "So, they move us to different locations around Ensenada and the neighboring towns?"

The mirthful laughter erupting from Kevin actually startled the conman.

"Oh man, that's a riot!" Grinning, Kevin slowly made his way toward the door. "Outside, we'll be loaded into the trunks of different vehicles and then taken to towns all over Mexico. We'll never see each other again. Plus, my days are numbered." He paused, nearly out of the room, and glanced back at Face. "My wife will pay to have me killed. I know that without a doubt."

Then, Kevin slipped through the door. Face stood, staring for a moment, unsure of what to do next, before he finally started to follow.

* * *

><p>Hannibal frowned. As a common curtsy, before shoving someone into a car trunk, it was customary to maybe, shall we say, clean it out a bit. Two spare tires? Really? How many flats did these guys get?<p>

The Colonel tried to shift, but there was barely enough room to breathe let alone move. "Um, Face?"

"Almost…" Face whispered. "Just one more little twist and…Aha!"

Not feeling particularly patient, Hannibal sighed. Five minutes was more than enough time to get a simple pair of cuffs off. At least they had a bit of luck on their side. Since their ransoms were supposedly coming from one source, the thugs decided to keep the two men together. That decision was going to cost them dearly.

Face's nimble hands started to work on Hannibal's handcuffs.

"Did you see him when they split us all up? The man cried…" Hannibal pressed himself closer to one of the spare tires, trying to give Face more room to work. "…Harold sobbed into my shirt. I think he got tears and snot on me, Face. It was horrible."

"Yeah, well my guy's wife is going to pay to have him killed. Hannibal, she is paying a sort of anti-ransom." The conman paused, exhaling in frustration as he fidgeted with the Colonel's restraints. "So, I assume we're going after them once we're free?"

"Exactly! Face, it's like you read my mind."

"Yeah, Hannibal, it's just like that."

With one final _click, _Hannibal felt the pressure around his wrists ease. "Face, that took too long. You're getting soft. We're going to have to work on that when we get back to the states. You know, after we clear up this whole kidnapping wealthy tourists operation. It will be a piece of cake."

"Aw, why'd you have to go and say _that_?"

Hannibal chuckled. "I can't help myself, I guess. It must be the jazz. Oh, and do you have…"

"Your lighter? In my pocket, but you're not getting it until we are out of this trunk, deal?"

"Deal. Shall we then? You are still able to open locked trunks, right? I mean, you seem a bit rusty…"

"Hey!" Face pushed past Hannibal, edging toward the rear of the car. "That's just hurtful now. You wait and see. This will be a piece of….ugh…now you've got me saying it."

Pulling a cigar from his pocket, Hannibal smiled, but the joy faded slightly as he thought of Murdock and BA. After Face's call, they would have certainly high tailed it down to Mexico. Hopefully, the men weren't at each other's throats, or, more accurately, he hoped BA wasn't at Murdock's throat.

Face gave a slight jerk. "Got it!"

And then the trunk popped open.

* * *

><p>Murdock tucked BA under the stiff floral comforter as the big guy stared vacantly up. Ok, that was just getting creepy.<p>

"Come on amigo, why don't you close those pretty peepers and catch some z's now?"

BA didn't move; his blank gaze still set on the ceiling of their motel room.

The Captain sighed. Getting the Sergeant out of the plane and across town had been enough of a challenge, but what was he supposed to do with a catatonic BA? Maybe, if he could just get him to go to sleep…

Murdock leaned in close. If it worked on infants maybe it worked on ugly mudsuckers too. Running through his mental storage of lullabies, he finally selected one and eased softly into the melody.

"_Over in Killarney, many years ago  
>My mother sang this song to me in tones so sweet and low<br>Just a simple little ditty in her good old Irish way  
>And I'd give the world if she could sing that song to me this day"<em>

BA's eyelids started to droop.

"_Toora, loora, loora  
>Toora, loora, li<br>Toora, loora, loora  
>Hush, now, don't you cry<br>Ah,  
>Toora, loora, loora<br>Toora, loora, li  
>Toora, loora, loora<br>It's an Irish lullaby"_

On the final note, Murdock glanced down, happy to find the Sergeant sleeping. There was just one last finishing touch that was needed. Reaching into his knapsack, the Captain pulled Barry free. He wasn't sure why the bear kept trying to escape from BA, but, over the last couple of days, every time Murdock left the two together, he would always come back find Barry making a break for it; he'd be on the other side of the room, under the bed or stuffed in a closet or drawer.

"Now, we had a talk about you stayin' put, right?" He eyed the bear. "BA needs someone here to look after him. I know he ain't got a fever anymore, but he still needs some rest and I hate just leaving him alone. So, you'll stay put, right?"

Barry stared back, black button eyes full of determination.

"I knew it!" Tucking the teddy bear under BA's arm, Murdock smiled. "You're true blue aren't you? Don't let me down now."

Murdock yawned and glanced out the window. The early morning light was steadily growing stronger. He would have loved a quick nap, but there wasn't time. He had to start tracking down Hannibal and Face. BA could rest; the mudsucker needed it more. Stifling one last yawn, he jotted down a quick note for BA and then trudged toward the door; this was going to be a long day.


	10. Chapter 10 Gold Star

**Chapter Ten: Gold Star **

BA rolled over. With eyes closed, he reached out and shoved the bear off the edge of the bed. Stupid fool always putting that stuffed animal in…

He lurched upright into a sitting position; his stiff body aching with the movement. He blinked. Where was he and what was up with all the floral patterns? This reminded him of his grandma's apartment.

Glancing around the unfamiliar room, he quickly spotted a note pinned to the headboard. Reaching up, he paused. Where were his rings? Frantically, BA's hands fumbled over his bare neck. Someone stole his gold!

"Murdock! Where you at? My gold is gone, Fool. _Hey_!"

Getting no reply, he snatched up the note and unfolded it.

_**BA,**_

_**I'll be back soon. I went to find some info on Face and Hannibal. Barry will keep you company until I get back. There are juice boxes (not drugged, I promise) on top of the dresser along with some crackers. **_

_**~Murdock**_

_**PS. I borrowed your gold to get supplies. Thanks. **_

Nearly shaking with rage, BA wadded up the paper and tossed it across the room.

"I'm gonna kill that fool."

* * *

><p>Murdock heart started racing as he peeked into the dark motel room. At least he would die looking good. The suit was snazzy, and the Rolex was nice too. Well, he had to look the part. Biting his lip, he glanced around. He was pretty sure that BA was going to kill him; nope, now that he thought it over, he was postive BA was going to kill him.<p>

The Captain stepped inside and carefully, so as not to make any unnecessary noise, closed the door. Reaching for the light switch, he froze, feeling the weight of the Sergeant's gaze.

"Fool, where's my gold?"

Spinning around, Murdock grinned toward the large figure half hidden within the shadows. "Ah, uh, BA? I had to…um….borrow it?"

The Sergeant stepped forward into the light, with biceps bulging. It seemed as if his strength had fully returned. Murdock cringed. Jaw tightened, fists clenched, BA glared across the room.

"That's some nice clothes you got there and a new watch too?"

"I'll get your gold back, I promise." Murdock whimpered, hoping that would sooth the big guy for now, but, in honesty, he wasn't sure if was going to be able to get it _all_ back. It had taken a lot of bartering with a lot of different people to get all the supplies they needed.

BA took another step forward, the gleam in his eye hovering dangerously between rage and self-restraint. "When this is all over," he growled, "you'll get all my gold back."

That wasn't a solution, only a postponement of pain, but Murdock let the wave of relief wash over him. Well, now that he knew he wasn't going to be pounded into a pulp right away, it was nice to see the big guy looking so much better. That nap must have really helped him out.

The Sergeant's frown grew. "So, what's the plan?"

"Oh, yeah…" Murdock blinked. It was getting a little hard to concentrate; his fatigue was starting to get the better of him. "It took some time, but some of the locals finally tipped me off to a group of gorgeous gals that were working for a local scumbag. The ladies track down wealthy gentlemen and then entice them to private location and _wham!"_

"Of course Faceman would stumble across that setup." BA cracked a slight smile before letting his scowl return.

"Well, I figured that maybe you could make a tracking device and then we could dangle some bait out there for the ladies."

"You?" BA laughed, his tough guy act forgotten. "Naw, fool, that won't work."

"It will too. Besides, you're not exactly smooth with women. I don't think they'd want to be messing with an ugly mudsucker like you anyhow. Why one look at that sour, angry face o' yours and they'd know something was fishy."

BA stared down at the floor, seemingly contemplating what Murdock had said. Folding his arms, he gave a slight grunt of consent.

"Fine, I'll work on the tracking device, and you'll…"

"Bring in the rest of the supplies and then get some rest." Murdock chimed in; he felt ready to collapse.

He glanced up at BA, waiting for the big guy to argue, but the Sergeant nodded. Wow, Murdock must have looked as haggard as he felt. Turing to head back outside for the supplies, he halted at the sound of BA's voice.

"Fool, I can't believe you drugged the grape juice. What if I had drank the milk instead?"

The Captain looked back over his shoulder and grinned. "Well, that was drugged too."

At BA's deep growl, Murdock hurried away, but he spotted Barry hiding under the bed as he left. Did a promise mean nothing to that bear?

* * *

><p>BA stretched before settling back down with his binoculars. He was getting tired of watching the crazy man roam around the beach. Having a beachfront view from their room had been a huge advantage, but how long could the fool saunter back and forth on the same stretch of sand?<p>

It was late in the evening and no one had taken the bait. BA frowned. This was a waste of time. He watched Murdock plop down on the ground and take another swig from his Dom Pérignon bottle. Earlier, the fool had wrinkled his nose at the champagne and poured the liquid into an ice bucket before filling the bottle back up with water. Face would have cringed at the sight.

Man, they had to find Face and Hannibal, fast. Setting down the binoculars, BA surveyed the room. Murdock had gotten everything they needed for a rescue. Rope, guns, ammo and a getaway vehicle, although the rusted Toyota Hiace van was more of a disaster than anything else. At least BA had managed to get it running without randomly sputtering to a halt every five minutes. Now, all they had to do was find Hannibal and Face, which was turning out to be a lot harder than…

Hearing a light knock on the door, BA jumped to his feet. Grabbing a pistol, he crept forward. Murdock had made sure the maids knew not to bother them, so, who could this be? Slowly, he turned the knob.

"Come on BA, Murdock, let us in. We know you're in there."

Hearing the voice, BA smiled and lowered his gun before swinging the door open.

"Face, Hannibal, how'd you escape? Man, how'd you find us?"

Face grinned. "Well, it wasn't that hard. During a location swap we managed to escape from a car trunk and then made a break for it. After that, I called around and when I heard someone had checked in under the name Cat A. Tonic at this motel, I was pretty sure we'd find you and Murdock here. Hasn't he used that one before?"

"Yeah, Face, I think you're right." Hannibal sat one of the queen sized beds and lit his cigar. "Back in Cincinnati, wasn't it? Or was that in Ottawa?"

"It was defiantly Cincinnati. It was the time with that cute little raven haired beauty with the tattoo on her…"

"Oh yeah," Hannibal grinned. "I remember you and her getting pretty cozy."

A dreamy smile lighted the Lieutenant's face. "Oh, she was something…"

BA groaned. "Man, Fool sold my gold for nothing."

"Not necessarily." Hannibal seemed to be taking a quick inventory of the supplies. "This looks just about right to me. I'm assuming that monstrosity of a van parked just outside it ours too."

The Sergeant frowned and nodded. "Murdock picked it out himself."

"Speaking of Murdock…" Face flopped down on a recliner and put his feet up. "…where is he?"

"Fool is out on the beach trying to be like you Face, but he's terrible at it. He heard a group of women were luring in wealthy men and selling them to some thugs. Crazy man thought he's pretend to be a millionaire and get himself caught. Got a tracking device planted in his shoe, but, so far, we ain't had much luck."

Face laughed. "I made some calls already and tracked down the whereabouts of the head honchos in this little kidnapping ring, so we don't need Murdock wandering around the beach any more. I'll go get him. Be right back."

Still chuckling, Face slipped out of the room, leaving BA and Hannibal behind.

"Are you feeling better?"

BA shrugged and glanced over at Hannibal. "Better than I was, I guess."

"So…" Blue eyes sparkling, Hannibal took a puff off his cigar. "Murdock took good care of you then?"

His first reaction was to launch into a tirade about the fool, but BA paused. The fool had done a good job. The crazy man cleaned the apartment, did the laundry, cooked him soup, got his fever down, and, at some point, he had even hauled the TV into BA's bedroom so he could watch the game. The only problem had been that darn bear.

"He did ok," BA muttered, hoping Hannibal would drop the subject; he really didn't wanted to admit how grateful he had been that Murdock had stayed behind.

"Well, you look good, but are you up for this?"

That hurt. BA stared up at the Colonel. "I'd tell you if I wasn't."

"Yeah, I'm sure you…"

The door flung open and a wild eyed Face hurried in.

"He's gone. I couldn't find him anywhere," Face panted. "All I found were these…"

BA let out a weary sigh as his eyes fixed on the Dom Pérignon bottle and the pair of expensive Italian loafers.


	11. Chapter 11 Fishy Fairytales

**Chapter Eleven: Fishy Fairytales**

Murdock was tired of strolling in the sand. He was tired of sipping lukewarm water from the champagne bottle and trolling for beautiful women, but mainly he was just tired. The nap he had taken when BA was rigging up the tracking device hadn't been enough to keep him going.

With a sigh, he sat down and pressed the bottle to his lips again, but as he lifted it up, he kept his mouth closed. Pretending to drink fake champagne really wasn't that difficult. In fact, it just made things easier. His stomach was sloshing with the water he _had_ consumed, and he had already taken around ten bathroom breaks.

He set the bottle aside and glanced back at the motel, wondering if BA was as frustrated as he was. This wasn't working. He had used all BA's gold and they had nothing to show for it. Murdock leaned forward, cradling his forehead in his hands. They had to find Face and Hannibal; they had to rescue them. This had to work! Maybe Barry could help him come up with a new plan, and then…

"Hey there, are you ok?" The soft voice practically tickled Murdock's eardrums.

He looked up, stunned by the exquisiteness standing before him. A cerulean one-piece swimsuit hugged the woman's voluptuous body. She had curves in all the right places. Soft dark locks hung in perfect curls around her beautiful face, but it was the eyes that enchanted Murdock; they were pools of brilliant emerald that seized him in their gaze. She couldn't possibly be merely human.

The Captain grinned. "I'm ok, just tired. Stayed up too late celebrating."

Gracefully, she sat next to him. "Oh, that happens a lot here. Are you from around these parts?"

The movement had been slight, but he noticed her glance at his watch and the bottle at his side. A slight smirk crossed her face before growing into a dazzling smile. Whoa, this was like the female version of Facey, and that thought made him shift uncomfortably.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to be so forward."

Regaining his composure, he relaxed a little. Ok, if he wanted to rescue the guys, he had to let her seduce him. Oh, the things he did for his team. Leaning in, she straightened his tie a little and giggled. Murdock closed his eyes. She smelled like cotton candy. He gave a breathy sigh; that odor was intoxicating.

"Would you…" She paused and he looked up to find her batting her long, dark lashes. "…like to go for a swim?"

"I-I…" he stuttered as she rose and strolled toward the water.

The rhythmic sway of her walk drew his gaze to her shapely hips. He stood, leaving his bottle in the sand as he slipped his shoes off. BA would kill him if he got the tracking device wet. He was just about to strip off his jacket when she called out.

"Hurry or I'll find someone else to swim with me." Her crimson lips stretched into a mischievous smile.

The pang of jealousy swelling in his chest surprised him. Somehow he didn't doubt she'd find someone else if he made her wait. He rushed toward the water. She had him; he knew it was a trap, and he was supposed to go for it willingly, but even if he had been meant to struggle, to resist, he doubted that he would have. He spared only a moment to glance back at the motel, hoping that BA was watching.

Soon the water was up to his chest. Further off, the beauty blissfully bobbed, her gentle laughter urging him to continue. Maybe she was a mermaid? His mind toyed with the thought as his feet started to lift away from the soft ground. Swimming now, he struggled to spot her in the calm waters. He paddled harder to keep his head above water. Energy waning, Murdock pulled himself into a dead man's float and rested. He scrolled through his knowledge of mermaids and realized there was a strong probability that he was going to drown.

It was then that the Jet Ski appeared. Startled, he lost his concentration and dipped below the surface for a few moments. Hands grabbed him and brought him up. He coughed and sputtered, not sure whether to curse or thank the newcomers. Then, he felt the coarse cloth being pressed against his face. Lashing out, he tried to free himself, but thick, muscular arms held him tight. Holding his breath did no good either, eventually the chloroform took hold and everything grew dark.

* * *

><p>Hannibal eyed his Sergeant carefully. The man seemed upset about Murdock's disappearance, that in itself wasn't unusual, but the amount of unease settling over BA this time was odd. He watched the big man pace across the floor.<p>

They were alone together, as Face was doing a quick recon on the ringleader's base of operations. As soon as the Lieutenant got back, they'd polish up the plan. Bingo and cruises might have been entertaining, but there was nothing like being on the jazz for real. Now, if he could only figure out what was wrong with his Sergeant.

"We'll find him." The Colonel was getting a little tired of saying that phrase, but he had a feeling BA needed to hear it, again.

"Yeah, I know." But judging from his tone, BA didn't know; he had doubts.

"Why are you so worried? " Hannibal sighed. "We've been in tighter jams, and you know that Murdock is more than capable of taking care of himself."

The Sergeant shrugged and turned away. His large hands were soon working on a tiny piece of surveillance equipment.

"Is there something I should know?" Hannibal wasn't going to let this drop; he couldn't do that if this had to do with Murdock's rescue.

"It's just…." BA drew in a deep breath, his back still to Hannibal. "He took care of me when I was sick. I mean, he took real good care of me, like my Mama would. And then, he stayed up all night flying us down here. The fool's been trying so hard for the last couple days." The Sergeant turned, dark eyes meeting the Colonel's gaze. "He was tired, Hannibal, real tired. He took a nap, but that didn't seem to help. I didn't want him to go out today, but you know how the crazy man is. I'm just worried… I think he's…maybe…" BA glared down at the floor.

Hannibal waited, but the words were obviously evading BA, or he couldn't force himself to say them. Then, it dawned on him, and the revelation wasn't a pleasant one.

"BA…" Hannibal almost didn't want to know. "…Do you think, that maybe, Murdock is…"

The Sergeant's shoulders slumped. "Getting sick? Yeah, I think so, and it's gonna be bad if it's what I had. We gotta find him real soon." He glanced up, a cold determination gleaming in his eyes. "I had someone to take care of me when I was sick, but Murdock's got no body right now. That ain't right."

Hannibal nodded; his own concern swelling. Now he understood.


	12. Chapter 12 Alone

**Chapter Twelve: Alone**

Natalie slowly emerged from the water. Smiling, she glanced back. The tall, lanky man was gone; soon she'd have her money. That had almost been too easy.

She sauntered down the beach, letting the rivulets of saltwater run down her body. A towel would be pointless; the day was warm enough, and she enjoyed the attention her glistening skin demanded.

With slackened jaws, men stared. She loved to see them in such a state

Nose slathered with sunscreen, a portly man wheezed and grunted as he rolled himself into a sitting position on his oversized beach blanket. His hands rested comfortable on his hairy, bloated belly as she came near. She didn't cringe at his lecherous gaze. No, it was fun to let them look at what they couldn't have. If she so chose, she could have any man on the beach, but she doubted any would tempt her.

Looking up from a book, the stout man's frumpy wife frowned and slapped him upside his red, balding head. Natalie laughed. So what if they heard her? They were middle class tourists who, after a week, would disappear back into their boring lives.

Her laughter faded as she remembered the task at hand. All evidence of her wealthy new _friend_ had to disappear. His abandoned shoes and champagne bottle needed to be dealt with.

Strolling down the sand toward the desired items, Natalie spotted something much more interesting.

He wore a fine suit, but his movements were suave, lacking the stiffness of the wealthy businessmen she usually encountered. With coifed blond hair, perfectly tanned skin and a mouth that begged for caresses, he was undeniable handsome. His dazzling blue eyes had yet to discover her, but she knew they soon would. The more she watched him, the greater her desire grew.

Patiently, she waited. He was looking for something, leisurely at first but with each passing moment his search grew more desperate. Had he lost a child? She scanned the beach, but saw no youngsters. Glancing back, she found him staring at her.

A stunning smile spread across his face. She wanted him, but then he did something no man had ever done to her before, he turned away. Mortified, she watched him walk on, as he continued with his hunt. She glared at the back of his suit, willing him to turn around, to come to his senses, but it was to no avail. He edged farther away before suddenly crouching down.

Natalie watched in dismay as he scooped up the shoes and bottle before hurrying away from the beach. That wasn't good.

* * *

><p>Murdock fought to regain control. Sounds, he could hear sounds. Crashing waves? Seagulls? Then, the sensation of movement came back to him. The lurching jumps and slaps of water reminded him of the Jet Ski. His body flopped about like a ragdoll. He tried to move, but that was still beyond him.<p>

The violent pitching of the machine eased, and the engine soon quieted. Murdock managed to open his eyes, catching a glimpse of clear ocean water and sand before his eyes closed again. He heard voices, but they sounded muffled, distant.

Then, he was being lifted. Weakly struggling against the hands holding him, Murdock gave a muttered protest. He was set down and made to walk. Water splashed around his legs as he was guided forward, and as the coolness gave way to warm, dry sand, he felt a sudden jab of a syringe in his arm. He was getting really tired of being drugged all the time.

Lifting his head up, he forced his eyes to open, but only blurry figures stood before him. New drugs coursing through his veins, Murdock knew he didn't have long until he'd be out cold again. Eyelids drooping, head sagging, he stumbled along as his captors started to drag him on. Hot sand gave way to asphalt, and then his eyes closed. He was slipping back into the oblivion, into the nothing, but not yet…soon…

Hands took a stronger hold of him. He felt his feet leave the ground and then there was softness beneath him. Warmth enveloped him, and then a shockwave of sound erupted. He focused his mind, trying to identify the noise. Someone had slammed a car trunk! He congratulated himself on the solution; he was in a trunk. The thought floated amidst his hazy mind as he breathed in warm, stagnate air, and then he passed out.

* * *

><p>Natalie followed the man back to a motel room. He entered in such a rush that he left the door slightly ajar. Seizing her opportunity, she peeked inside.<p>

There were three men. Besides her handsome stranger, there was an older white haired gentleman and a large, muscle-bound black man with a Mohawk. What in the world could have possibly brought these men together?

She shifted, trying to get a better view. They had supplies. She could make out a few pistols and rifles, but she was sure there was more.

Sitting back in a chair, the white hair man lit a cigar. "So, here's the plan…"

Almost afraid to breath, Natalie stood and raptly listened to everything being said.

* * *

><p>Murdock woke slowly. It was hard to wake in the stillness, in the darkness. He opened his eyes and then closed them again. One of his hands explored the cot underneath him. It felt like an army issue as did the stiff blanket around him.<p>

He rolled onto his side, planning to hoist his feet onto the ground, but he never made it that far. His stomach churned and tightened and he could immediately feel a cold wave of nausea sweeping through him. Leaning over, he emptied his stomach contents onto the floor.

Lying back, Murdock drew in short little gasps of breath. His damp clothes clung to him; the drying saltwater causing his skin to itch. He needed to get out of the suit, to get warm, but…he was so tired. Trying not to dwell on how he had let Hannibal and Face down, Murdock gave up and let himself drift off to sleep.

* * *

><p>Natalie entered her apartment and went straight for her phone. She knew the number by heart. After two rings, a man answered.<p>

"Manuel? It's me, Natalie. Listen, I gotta tell you something big, but I want double pay for my last guy, ok? I promise, this is good."

"Well…" The man's voice was gruff and labored. "If it is good, and we can make more money then, yeah."

Natalie smile before she started to tell Manuel everything she had overheard at the motel.


	13. Chapter 13 Take the Good with the Bad

**Chapter Thirteen: Take the Good with the Bad**

That night, the drive was quiet. Neither man said anything, and Natalie, wedged between them, was hesitant to break the silence. She wasn't fond of mingling with Manuel's goons; it wasn't her place to do the _dirty_ work. However, Manuel had insisted she show them the motel room she had been at; he seemed certain that two of the men she had seen were his escaped hostages.

So, now she had to associate with thugs…

Natalie glanced at the driver, Rodrigo. The thick scar across his neck drew her interest. Supposedly, years back, his brother had tried to slit his throat, but he had lived. After Rodrigo's recovery, his brother hadn't been so fortunate.

She studied the line of raised pink flesh, so lost in her thoughts that she yelped when his dark eyes suddenly turned to meet her gaze. Quickly, she looked away, unable to endure that soulless stare.

Beside her, in the passenger's seat, Thomas laughed. "He caught you gawking again, yes?"

Frowning, she didn't answer. Just this once and then never again would she agree to be around these men. Manuel owed her big time for this.

Thomas hocked a loogie out his window, his plump face beaming with a smile as he turned back toward Natalie. "You see the size of that one?"

A round of curses sounded from the half dozen men in the truck bed. One man pressed forward, pounding on the top of the cab. "Te odio! Thomas, you idiot, stop spitting. It almost hit Miguel that time."

Thomas grunted and laughed, quickly working up another loogie.

Hearing the horrid, stuttered snorts emanating from Thomas, Natalie averted her gaze. She studied her feet, trying to ignore the disgusting man at her side. This had never been part of the deal.

There was so much of this that wasn't within the confines of her oral contract with Manuel, but, partially, that was her fault. The moment she had followed the blue-eyed stranger on the beach, she had laid these new burdens on herself. That had been foolish.

Now Manuel expected more of her than the mere talents of a vapid model, not that she felt she was such, but she played the part well. No, she couldn't go back to being only bait; she'd seen too much. Manuel had taken her to see how his operation ran. Before, she could have left at any point, but not any longer. She was stuck.

Worst of all, she had seen his hostages. He had taken her to the warehouse where he gathered them all. Closing her eyes, she could picture all the frightened men begging to live, to be released. No, she had never wanted to see them, not after she had done her part luring them in. Whatever happened to them wasn't her fault; she didn't want to know.

Biting her lip, she fought back tears. _It wasn't her fault._ Her mind wandered back to Manuel's words after he had given her a tour of the warehouse. His casualness chilled her. As a last resort, he said, if his operation was overrun, he planned on blowing up the warehouse, killing all those who were _his_. That was why he had gathered them all in one place, so no one else could escape.

Natalie shivered, wondering if he planned on killing her as well.

"Which room?"

She flinched at the question and cast a frightened glance at Rodrigo. The truck had stopped across the street from the motel. Peering out the passenger side window, she frowned. The men in the back were already shuffling out of the truck, carefully concealing their pistols within the folds of their clothes.

"Number 108."

Thomas shifted out of the truck, slamming the door behind him. Rodrigo was swifter in exiting, his cold eyes fixing on Natalie.

"Wait here," he said before motioning for the other men to follow him.

Natalie watched in silence as the men crossed the dark road. A few skirted around to the back of the building while the others approached the room from the front. In a burst of motion, the door was kicked in and all the men disappeared inside. She held her breath, waiting for gunfire but all was quiet. Seconds fused into minutes and still nothing happened.

Exhaling, she let her gaze stray from the motel door toward the truck's ignition. Rodrigo had left the keys. She was just about to scoot into the driver's seat when a voice startled her.

* * *

><p>Hannibal smiled. The girl was pretty, but she was a terrible spy.<p>

"Can I help you with anything?" he asked and was satisfied to see her jump at the sound of his voice.

She gaped back at him, fear glistening in her green eyes. "No, I'm fine."

He leaned into the truck through the open passenger side window. "Really? That's not what it looks like. It seems to me that…" He remained nonchalant as, behind her, Face reached into the truck and grabbed the keys. "…you are in a world of trouble."

"No…I-I just wanted to…"

"Lookie what I got, Hannibal." Face dangled the keys, jumping back as the woman turned and grabbed for them. "Aw, see that? She forgot to say please. Manners are important. Wouldn't you agree Miss…um…I'm afraid I didn't catch your name."

Hannibal couldn't tell, because her back was to him, but he was pretty sure she was giving Face one hell of a scowl.

Finally, she answered. "Natalie."

Face smiled. "Well, Natalie, if you're waiting for your friends to reappear, I'm afraid you're going to have to wait quite a while. You see, we knocked them out and tied them up. Our associate is watching over them right now. Still, we'd be willing to let your thugs go, for a price."

"Actually," Hannibal cut in, "it would be more like a swap. We want our guy back. So, Peck here is going to give you your keys and then you are going to go back to your boss and tell him what we want. We'll do the trade tomorrow night just outside of town, near the abandoned gas station. Can you remember all that?"

Anger burning in her eyes, she nodded.

Face leaned in, holding the keys within her reach. "Did you really think," he asked, "that we didn't know you were listening to us outside our motel room the entire time? You have to give us more credit than that."

She snatched the keys but waited to start the engine until both men had moved away.

Hannibal waved at Natalie as she slowly drove off. "Bye kid! See you soon! Don't forget what to tell your boss!"

"Hannibal?" Face stepped closer to the Colonel. "This plan will work, right?"

Hannibal smiled. "Of course, this is going to be a piece of…" He let the sentence trail. Normally, he wouldn't have any qualms over the saying, but with one of his men in danger, he had second thoughts. "It'll go smoothly."

Face sighed. "I hope so."

* * *

><p>Murdock lay in the dark, coughing and sweating. The scratchy blanket was on the floor, covered in vomit. No one had entered his room since he'd initially woken up there, or at least he didn't think they had; he kept lapsing in and out of a fevered sleep.<p>

He licked his dry lips, trying not to dwell on his thirst. There was nothing in the world he wanted more than water. Even just one lukewarm sip of water to wet his dry throat would have been wonderful. He shivered and shimmied himself into a fetal position.

The distinct groan of a door opening sounded before the lights snapped on. Covering his face with his hands, Murdock closed his eyes, waiting a few moments before daring to expose his pupils to the brightness.

"Tell me about your friends."

Murdock blinked. A slender man, somewhat aged in years, stood beside his cot. Though old, he hardly looked frail. There was a tenaciousness, a mean streak of rough living that shone in the man's face which clashed with his crisply laundered Armani suit.

"Geez, Manuel, he looks awful…" A faint voice, familiar, sounded behind the older man.

The Captain lifted his head slightly and smiled. It was his mermaid! Her eyes were still the beautiful green that he had remembered.

Suddenly, hands grabbed his collar and pulled him upward. Thin arms shaking, Manuel glared at his captive. Dread filled Murdock. He knew that look; he had seen it before. That cold, senseless rage filling those dark eyes meant only one thing…pain was coming.


	14. Chapter 14 Smile

**Chapter Fourteen: Smile**

In the misty darkness, a mermaid drifted by. Mesmerized, Murdock watched the finned silhouette disappear into the bleakness surrounding him. Was this real? He drew in a shaky breath. No, it had to be a dream. Damn, if only he had only filled his prescription back in the states. How long had he been off his meds? He didn't like these vivid dreams; his muddled mind had a hard enough time sorting fantasy from reality without this added confusion.

"TELL ME WHO YOU ARE WORKING FOR…"

Anger poured out in the words, but who was speaking? Patches of Murdock's memory seemed scattered, replaced by bits of dreamy illusion. This voice…he knew this voice, but he couldn't remember. He tried to open his eyes but his swollen lids couldn't draw themselves back any longer. The aches and pains of his battered body slowly resurfaced as he edged further into consciousness.

"TELL ME…"

A flare of pain burst across his face. He groaned. Dirty pennies…to the Captain, blood always tasted like dirty pennies.

"…WHO…"

More pain came. This time he could discern what was happening. He could feel the impact of a hard fist striking his cheek. _Where were Hannibal, Face and BA?_ He needed them…

"…YOU ARE…"

Murdock's head tilted to the left as the next punch landed. Down his bruised chin a warm stream of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. He could feel his thoughts drifting, his mind pulling away from reality.

"…WORKING FOR."

Murdock wandered back into slumber, letting the angry voice fade away, the pain gradually ease. Asleep, he found himself in the cold watery depths of the ocean. He stared up at the shimmering surface, watching his mermaid swim in the sunny waters above.

* * *

><p>BA crept to the backside of the warehouse. He had already dealt with the explosives. He smiled; Hannibal's plan was actually working. While the goons were preparing for the <em>swap<em>, the team had been starting their raid on the warehouse.

Hannibal wasn't a fool; he knew the thugs wouldn't honor a straight across trade. They'd have something planned. So, before the deadline for the meeting came, he planned on springing the hostages, including Murdock.

That fool, getting himself caught…BA rounded a corner and took out two guards with a few forceful punches. When they got Murdock back, BA would make him a good soup; he'd make him his Mama's soup. Yeah, then the crazy man could see what…

Static sounded followed by Face's voice. "I've found the hostages. I'm sending them out the back, toward you, BA."

The Sergeant raised his radio. "What about Murdock?"

The pause was too long—BA knew the answer before Face gave it. "Nothing yet, but I think there's another small room in the back…"

* * *

><p>Murdock woke, his coherent state snapping forth a little too quickly. He squirmed, fighting back the nausea as pain swelled through his body. Controlling his breathing proved to be challenging as well. The raspy breaths he produced hitched and faltered with each new flare of pain edging across him. He lay still, giving his strained lungs a moment to regain some strength.<p>

Against his skin, he felt a soft cotton material. The salt encrusted suit was gone. Gingerly, he twitched his left leg. Sweatpants…it felt like he was wearing sweatpants and a tee-shirt.

A gentle scuff of movement beside him made him flinch.

"It's ok now…" The sweet voice was soft, low. "He's gone."

Ignoring the searing pain, he forced his swollen eyelids to rise. Unfocused at first, his gaze fell on the slender figure beside his bed. Slowly, the image cleared and he smiled. It was his mermaid.

But her stunning visage was marred by a tense frown. Stare shifting between Murdock and the door off to the right, her eyes reflected fear, urgency.

"You have to tell me about your team." Her demand was tender yet firm. "He won't hurt you anymore if you do."

Murdock studied her face, disappointed with what he saw. She was pushing for answers, answers he was sure she would be paid for. Still, he couldn't bring himself to blame her. She was a wild animal in a cage; he'd stuck his hand in and gotten it bitten—that was _his_ fault.

Her frown grew. "He'll be back soon…"

It was pitiful to see her without a smile. He couldn't tell her anything about the team; that would never be an option, but maybe he could do something else for her. Swallowing down what little salvia his mouth could produce, he wet his dry throat. It was Nat King Cole to the rescue.

"_Smile though your heart is aching…" _He wished he didn't sound so hoarse, but it was the best he could do. Hopefully, she'd like it.

Her green eyes widened as she stared down at him, surprise clearly adorning her face.

"_Smile even though it's breaking…" _The melody was hard to control, but he somehow managed.

She leaned in a little closer, looking as if she might hush him, but she didn't.

"_When there are clouds in the sky, you'll get by…"_

Her hand settled on his shoulder and he watched her lower lip tremble before she bit it down.

"_If you smile through your fear and sorrow…" _Murdock drew in a deep breath, fighting off the weariness creeping over him. He hadn't meant for the song to sadden her.

She squeezed his shoulder slightly, a hint of encouragement in her firm grasp.

"_Smile and maybe tomorrow…"_

A single tear ran down her cheek.

"_You'll see the sun come shining through for you…"_ The song trailed off into a whisper. That was all; he couldn't go on.

He stared up at her, distressed by her sadness. This wasn't what he had wanted. She sniffed loudly, wiping away the tears forming in her eyes, but then, she glanced down at him and smiled. Finally feeling some semblance of satisfaction, Murdock grinned back. Desperately, he tried to memorize every detail of her beaming face as he slowly drifted back into his dreary dream world.

* * *

><p>Natalie fumed. She had been stupid for coming back to Manuel. Thinking he would pay her the money he owed her for this last hostage had been idiotic, but what choice had she had? Flat broke, there was no way she could flee from his grasp. She needed a nest egg <em>before<em> she could escape him.

Striking the new deal with the old man had been easy. All she had to do was get information out of the hostage, good information, and Manuel would pay her half of what he should have owed her. That would be enough to get her back home to Canada, well out of his reach.

But, she was not some petty thug, and she refused to reenter the room until they had cleaned the hostage up. Sweat, blood and vomit she could simply not deal with.

Eventually, when the filth had thoroughly been washed away, she returned to the room where she had witnessed Manuel beating the lanky man. Dressed in oversized sweatpants and a black tee-shirt, the injured man gave a soft, fevered whimper.

She pulled a chair up beside his bed and watched him tense up at the soft scraping sound.

"It's ok now…" She tried to keep her voice calm; she tried to make the lie sound convincing. "He's gone."

He shifted slightly; his puffy, red-rimmed eyes slowly opening. Clearly having trouble focusing his gaze, he stared blankly at her for a moment. Then, a wide, happy grin spread across his face; that surprised her. His glazed brown eyes sparkled with an odd joy.

"You have to tell me about your team." Clenching her fists, she forced out the next lie. "He won't hurt you anymore if you do."

She could see him scanning her face, a slight frown pulling at his pale lips. Confusion filled his bruised face, but then it eased away, leaving her to stare into those innocent, clear eyes of his. This wasn't her fault; she had to keep telling herself that.

"He'll be back soon…" That wasn't a lie.

He kept searching her face, looking for something. She hated that pleading stare; she wanted to leave. Damn Manuel and his money; this wasn't worth it.

"_Smile though your heart is aching…"_

That whispered melody, so beautifully haunting, chilled her.

"_Even though it's breaking…"_

She leaned closer, knowing she should silence him, but had she ever heard anything that had stirred her so much before? She needed to listen.

"_When there are clouds in the sky, you'll get by…"_

Before she could stop it, her hand darted forward and rested on his shoulder. The warmth of his fever surprised her, and she almost withdrew her hand. The thought of his suffering made her lip tremble and she quickly bit it to hide the quiver.

"_If you smile through your fear and sorrow…" _He was struggling now, obviously fighting to stay awake.

Natalie squeezed his shoulder. Just a little more…she just wanted to hear a little more.

"_Smile and maybe tomorrow…"_

She couldn't hold it back any longer. She couldn't lie to herself. This was _her_ fault. She felt the trail of a warm teardrop sliding down her face.

"_You'll see the sun come shining through for you…" _His weary voice trailed off.

She looked away, wiping the tears from her eyes. When she glanced back, she found him desperately searching her face again. What was he looking for? Slowly, it dawned on her and she gave it to him. She smiled.

His face lit up with a goofy grin. There was tenderness in the way his eyes scanned her face; it was a gentle honesty that men seldom used when looking upon her. With a final sigh, his eyelids slid closed.

She wouldn't get her money, but that hardly bothered her anymore. The severity of her role in these hostage dealings had finally caught up with her. A cold dread filled her. How many lives had she ruined?

Natalie gave a mild yelp as the door swung open and Manuel entered the room.

"Has he said anything?" He asked, quickly making his way to the bedside.

She tried to force out an answer, but her throat constricted, leaving her silent. Hesitantly, she stood and slunk to the furthest corner of the room.

Manuel sighed. "I didn't think he would." He pulled a pistol from his jacket and placed the barrel to the man's fevered brow. "And now his friends have released all my other hostages, so…he must die."

* * *

><p>Face sprinted through the warehouse. This was all about timing. They had to find Murdock before the head honcho realized they had busted everyone loose. Most of the guards were out cold, but a few would suddenly pop around a corner. Face groaned; he didn't have time for this…Murdock needed him.<p>

After punching out yet another guard, Face spotted the door to the lone room. Bingo. He trotted over, rifle at the ready, and turned the handle. The door swung open and Face's heart fell.


	15. Chapter 15 Bang, Bang

**Chapter Fifteen: Bang, Bang**

Face stared into the room, not wanting to move. He attempted to turn away, to go out to tell the others, but his legs wouldn't work. Slowly, he raised the walkie-talkie to his mouth.

"BA?" His voice cracked as he continued to stare into the little room.

Static sounded before BA's gruff tone came over the airwaves. "What? You find Murdock yet?"

Face cringed. He could hear the worry and hope mingling in the Sergeant's voice. The big guy had been a bundle of nerves ever since Murdock went missing.

With a heavy sigh, Face closed his eyes. "BA—he's not here. The room is…empty."

* * *

><p>Natalie pressed herself against the far wall, gaze fixed on the scene in front of her. She shivered, her fear bubbling into something foreign; it was almost anger, but more powerful. She stood, frozen, as Manuel cocked his gun. The lanky man's eyes flickered open at the sound.<p>

Forcing the tremors from her body, Natalie took a silent step forward. Her heart was pounding now. No, it wasn't just anger burning inside her; it was a raw, visceral urge to protect.

* * *

><p>BA halted midstride and took a deep breath to calm himself before replying. "Face, what do ya mean it's empty?"<p>

Through the static, Face's voice sounded. "He's not here. I don't think he was ever here. It's just a storage closet full of cleaning supplies."

BA kept listening, but he also started moving. He had to find Hannibal. They had lost radio contact with the Colonel early on; he had probably turned the volume down so he could get the drop on the guards out front.

Rounding a corner, BA nearly plowed into, or over, Hannibal.

"Hey, easy there," Hannibal jumped back, quickly lowering his rifle.

BA glanced at the pile of unconscious thugs tied up near the front doors of the warehouse. "Hannibal, man, we've got a problem."

Biting off the tip of his cigar and spitting it away, Hannibal shrugged. "I'll say. The head guru, Manuel Gomez, wasn't here. I talked to some of his boys and found out he's got another little hidey hole not too far away. Looks like we'll have to go dig him out. I was pleased to see that we've gotten Harold and Kevin out safely. How's Murdock?"

Hannibal had a lighter halfway to his cigar when his eyes fixated on BA. Slowly, the smug, jazz induced smile melted into a scowl as he waited for the Sergeant's response.

Jaw clenched, BA merely shook his head.

"Get Face…" Hannibal let the tiny flame from his lighter snuff out. "We're leaving."

* * *

><p>Murdock struggled in the murky water. His mermaid was gone and in the cloudy haze only the dim forms of sharks circling could be seen, but, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't swim away. Sleek bodies speeding along, the predators gradually drew nearer.<p>

And then a shock of coldness pressed into his forehead, scattering his dreamscape. Against his fevered skin, the icy touch was welcomed, and then he heard the familiar click.

Instinctively, his eyes fluttered open at the sound. He studied the pistol pressed to his head before his attention moved upward. Manuel sneered back at him and pressed the barrel down a little harder. In his peripheral vision, Murdock could see Natalie take a meek step forward, but he knew that there was nothing for his mermaid to do…if she even wanted to. This finally looked like the end.

* * *

><p>Hannibal chewed on his cigar, a habit he tried to avoid. "Faster, BA."<p>

The van was already dangerously weaving through the city streets, but BA complied and sped up even more. Time was against them; Hannibal knew this. He frowned as he glanced back at Face.

The younger man was nervously checking his rifle; he looked up and gave Hannibal a warm, though obviously forced grin. They had cut missions close before, but there was a foreboding sense of tragedy hanging over the team in this case. No one would mention it, but it was there all the same.

The van caught some air as they sailed over a hill. BA didn't even flinch as the vehicle bottomed out, the hideous grind of metal and asphalt dissipating as the van sped along. At the next hill, BA didn't bother to slow down. Again, the grinding sounded, harsher this time, but BA seemed to give no notice.

Hannibal turned away, not wanting to witness his men's silent fear any longer. They would be at the hideout soon, but the Colonel couldn't help but wonder—were they too late?

* * *

><p>Some portion of Murdock's mind begged him to close his eyes, not to keep looking into Manuel's cold gaze, but he couldn't help himself. Maybe it was the fever that kept his fear at bay, but he continued to stare into the eyes of his soon to be murderer.<p>

Manuel smiled, seemingly enjoying how his victim had chosen to go out. Leaning in, he whispered softly, "You are a fool, a brave fool."

One last snappy comeback would have been perfect, but Murdock could only manage the faintest of smiles. Staying awake was hard enough.

"Goodbye…" Manuel cooed.

Murdock was still staring into those dark, soulless eyes when the shot fired.

* * *

><p>The van lurched to a halt outside the rundown office building. All three men were out of the vehicle in seconds, just in time to hear the single gunshot. BA and Face immediately turned toward Hannibal, but the man had no words of comfort.<p>

Silently, they made their way inside, dreading what they might find.

* * *

><p>It was over. Natalie leaned against the wall, eyes fixed on the growing puddle of blood. Her emotions seemed to mute themselves after the gun had fired. Now, only a hollow void remained. It was a curious feeling. She had thought that there would be guilt, remorse or <em>anything<em> but this emptiness. This was _her_ fault, and yet…she didn't care.


	16. Chapter 16 Goodbye

**Chapter Sixteen: Goodbye**

"Why?"

It was that simple, raspy question that finally rebooted Natalie's senses. Lowering the gun, she stared at the pale man lying on the cot; his glossy eyes were filled with confusion and concern.

"Why?" He asked again; the word coming out in a strained huff of breath.

She let her gaze drop to the floor, to the bright crimson puddle around Manuel's still body. The regret she should have felt was still absent, leaving a part of her hollow, incomplete. Was that what it was like to take a life? Or maybe—she glanced back up at the lanky fellow—that was what it was like to save a life.

"I…" She swallowed, trying to find an answer to his question. "I-I don't know."

His brow furrowed slightly as he seemed to ponder her reply, and, gradually, he relaxed and fell back into a fevered sleep.

Natalie stood, listening to his struggled breathing, debating what to do next. This was still her fault, but what more could she do? Eventually, Manuel's men would wonder what was taking their boss so long and they would come looking for him. She had maybe ten minutes at the most. She quickly rejected any plans of sneaking the sick man out of the building; there was no way she'd be able to haul him out undetected, and he certainly couldn't walk out on his own strength.

So, she kept returning to a single course of action. She turned and headed for the door. She had done what she could, now someone else needed to step in and be the hero.

* * *

><p>BA's size wasn't slowing him down at all. There was no way he was gonna let anything happen to the fool. Storming into the building before Hannibal or Face, BA was quick to locate the first set of guards. He dropped one man to the floor with a volley of jabs to the gut, before turning his attention on the next man.<p>

Frozen in place, the lone guard didn't put up a struggle as BA grabbed him by his collar and held him aloft.

Fist at the ready, BA glared at the quivering man. "Ya better tell us where our friend is."

"Yeah, "Hannibal chimed in as he entered the building with Face. "You had better tell us, because we're not in the mood for any games right now."

The man eyed them nervously. "U-up the s-stairs, to the l-left…"

As soon as the words were out, BA punched the guy in the face and let him drop to the floor.

Face grimaced. "Geez, BA, he told us where to look."

Stepping over the body, BA gave a low growl. Yeah, that was why he had _only_ punched the guy once.

Face was still jabbering about anger issues when they reached the stairs. BA was about to turn around and tell the fool to shut up, a line he usually only had to use on Murdock, when a pretty little gal came barreling down the stairs, running straight into BA.

He grunted as she slammed into his chest, but his anger faded as her frightened green eyes peered up at him. She pulled away, her thin arms trembling.

"Don't hurt me…I'm sorry." She panted. "I'm sorry."

BA unclenched his fists. "It's ok, no one is gonna hurt you."

"Um, BA?" Face eyed the woman carefully, but not in his usually manner. "That's Natalie. She's the one who got Murdock captured, the one we caught spying on us…"

"Don't matter." BA stepped around Natalie and started up the stairs. "We still don't hurt ladies."

The Sergeant was about half way up the stairs when he heard Hannibal order Face to stay behind and keep an eye on Natalie. BA snorted. That was probably a mistake, but he wasn't going to point it out. There was no time to waste; he had a fool to find.

* * *

><p>Murdock fought his way out of his dreams again. He wasn't sure which was worse, being awake with all his physical aches and pains or being asleep with his mental wounds. He trembled. The nightmares were coming back, and he had been working so hard with Richter to make them go away.<p>

The slow creak of the door sounded, and Murdock glanced over. Why was there a body on the floor? Something had happened…something important.

"Murdock?" BA's deep voice carried across the room.

Murdock gave a sigh of relief as he watched the big guy hurry towards him.

"Hey…" BA kept his tone gentle, which immediately alarmed Murdock. "How are you feeling?"

"T-there's a body on the floor…" It was hard to force the words out; his throat was so dry.

BA shrugged. "Yeah, I saw that, but how are you feeling?"

Murdock frowned. How was he feeling? He didn't know. His vision clouded—the shadow of a shark slinking slowly by. No…he fought to stay awake.

He gave a soft moan as his eyes fluttered closed. This was a battle he was losing. Then, he felt BA's warm arms wrapping around him, starting to lift him up.

"BA?" He sounded pitiful, even to his own ears, but he couldn't help it.

"It's ok." BA whispered. "Keep quiet, fool."

Murdock smiled; he'd remembered something. "I-I think a mermaid saved me."

There was a pause before BA grumbled, "Fool, I ain't no mermaid."

* * *

><p>Face was getting antsy. Normally, he would have cherished the task of babysitting the stunning woman, but, with Murdock in trouble, he couldn't quite bring himself to focus on his typical amorous ventures. With his attention diverted toward the stairs, waiting desperately to hear any word on Murdock, Face all but snubbed Natalie. That had been a mistake.<p>

He gave a little gasp as he felt a gun being pressed against his back.

"Drop your weapon." Her voice was cold, calculating.

"Um, you really don't want to do this…" He started to turn to face her, but stopped as he heard her cock the gun. Reluctantly, he pulled his pistol from his jacket and dropped it to the floor.

"I really don't like to be ignored." Her hot breath tickled his ear.

She stepped back and he relaxed as he felt the pressure from the gun's barrel leave his back. He sighed, wondering what to do next, and then the shot fired, sending a white-hot searing pain flaring through him. Face slumped up against the wall and stared back at Natalie.

"Just a little something…" She smiled. "…to remember me by." Then, she turned and walked away.


	17. Chapter 17 Souvenir

**Chapter Seventeen: Souvenir**

"Murdock?" BA didn't even bother checking on the body on the ground; the large puddle of blood meant that the guy was beyond help. Instead, he strode across the room, his eyes fixed on the crazy man.

Murdock tilted his head slightly, his tired gaze settling on BA. A long low sigh escaped from the pilot. BA had to keep himself calm, to still his fists, but the sight of the fool made him want to punch something or, more precisely, _someone_.

BA studied his friend carefully. He made a mental note of each and every bruise. Murdock would probably try and shrug it off, but BA knew better. Someone had pummeled the fool pretty good. BA resisted the urge to glare down at the dead man. There was no point in being mad at a corpse.

"Hey." Controlling his rage, BA tried to keep his voice mellow, friendly. "How are you feeling?"

Murdock blinked, his attention sliding downward. ""T-there's a body on the floor…"

BA shrugged; that really wasn't an answer. "Yeah, I saw that, but how are _you_ feeling?"

It was hard to watch the fool struggle with the question. Gaze drifting toward the ceiling, Murdock frowned. His forehead wrinkled as he continued to think. With each soft breath, his eyelids drooped a little further. His fevered eyes, unfocused and glazed, slowly started to roll back. BA watched in dismay as the fool gave a soft moan and his eyes finally fluttered shut.

That was it; the crazy man needed help—now. BA snaked one arm under Murdock's knees and the other behind the fool's back and slowly lifted him up.

"BA?"

That hoarse, painfully weak voice made BA pause.

"It's ok." He whispered. "Keep quiet, fool." Carefully, BA started to make his way toward the door.

Murdock's pale lips stretched into a grin. "I-I think a mermaid saved me."

BA glared down at the man. Fever or no, there was no way he was letting that one slide. "Fool, I ain't no mermaid."

The quiet chuckle from Murdock was reassuring, but then the crazy man went completely limp. Edging into the hallway, BA tried not to panic. Luckily, Hannibal appeared.

The Colonel didn't say a word as he assessed Murdock's condition. Jaw clenched tight, Hannibal sighed; he had just opened his mouth to say something when a gunshot sounded from downstairs.

BA groaned. Yep, leaving Face with the lady had been a mistake.

* * *

><p>Hannibal finished rounding up the thugs in the second story of the building and went looking for BA. He hoped the Sergeant had located Murdock, because this <em>vacation<em> couldn't stand one more setback. Nearing the end of the hall, he glanced up as BA was slipping out of a room; Murdock lay limply in the Sergeant's arms.

Murdock's fevered cheeks were flushed, contrasting with the rest of his bruised, ashen face. There was a faint hue of purple already starting to sink into the swollen skin around his eyes. Two black eyes? The Colonel clenched his jaw as he continued to study Murdock's condition. A thin layer of sweat coated the Captain's face, and Hannibal shifted nervously as he listened to Murdock's labored, uneven breathing.

This was worse than he had imagined. He sighed, ready to tell BA to head downstairs, and then they heard the shot.

* * *

><p>Face watched Natalie stroll nonchalantly away, acting as if she <em>hadn't<em> just shot him. When she was out of sight, he tenderly ran a hand over the wound. He gave a hissed breath at the sharp pain, and yanked his blood soaked hand back. Yep, that hurt, and no matter how hard he tried, he wasn't going to be able to hide this one from the guys. _Great._

He was able to stand upright, positioning his backside to the wall just as Hannibal and BA came thundering down the stairs.

Hannibal's sharp eyes immediately focused on Face. "What happened? Where's Natalie?"

"Um…" Ok, he could do this; it wasn't that bad right? "She left…"

BA stepped forward, cradling Murdock in his arms. "We heard a gunshot."

Face nodded, but his attention was on the motionless pilot. "Is he…ok?"

"We need to get him to a doctor and soon, but…" Hannibal took a step forward, peering steadily at Face. "…the question is do we need to get you to a doctor too?"

Ah, damn, Hannibal could always see right through him. Face smiled. "That might be good."

"Where?" The Colonel's question was simple; it was simple enough that Face decided to play dumb.

"Oh, Hannibal, I don't really care where the doctor is. Anywhere would be fine with…"

"No, fool…" BA growled. "Where were you shot? Stop wasting time. We need to get Murdock help."

Face frowned. BA was right. He shouldn't be wasting time, but he really didn't want to share this particular injury with the team. He was never going to live this one down.

Slowly, painfully, he turned around.

"She shot you in the rear?" Hannibal's sounded astonished and somewhat amused. "Um, Face, was there any reason for that?"

Face sighed; that was a good question. "For once, I can honestly say that I didn't do anything…and that, apparently, is what got me shot."

They all went silent as Murdock whimpered softly but remained unconscious . To say BA looked uncomfortable would have been the understatement of the year.

Ok, they had to get moving. Face clenched his jaw, preparing for the pain the short walk to the van was going to provide, but then Hannibal was at his side.

The Colonel raised a brow. "Need a little help?"

Before Face could reply, Hannibal looped an arm around him, taking the weight off his wounded side.

"I'll meet you guys in the van…" BA turned, rather quickly, and hurried outside with Murdock.

"Face…" Hannibal gave a sad smirk. "…this was the _worst_ vacation ever."

Wincing as he took a step, Face forced a laugh. "I'm not going to argue with that…but wait until you see the next one I've got lined up."

Hannibal smiled, but there was no joy in it. His gaze was distant, filled with worry. They weren't in the clear yet, and Face knew that the Hannibal wouldn't be satisfied until he knew they were all going to be ok.

Lost in thought, Face stumbled, but as he tried to right himself, he realized how weak his legs felt. Leaning heavily against Hannibal, he fought off the sudden dizziness overcoming him. He could feel the wet warmth trickling down his pantleg. Maybe the wound was a little worse than he thought? Face attempted to take another step and then everything went dark.


	18. Chapter 18 What's up Doc?

**Chapter 18: What's up Doc?**

Hannibal hefted his unconscious Lieutenant into the van. BA had already put Murdock on the mattress they had readied in the back, so the Colonel had to make due with a comforter spread across the metal flooring for Face. Carefully, he set the conman down on his belly. After sliding the door closed, Hannibal positioned himself between the two men.

"Hit it, BA."

As the van pulled slowly onto the road, the Colonel dug through the first aid kit. A few thick strips of gauze would have to do; good thing they were only ten or so minutes away from the hospital.

He prepped the gauze and then gently pressed it against Face's wound.

"Hannibal?" The Lieutenant's muffled voice sounded from the folds in the comforter. "Is that your hand on my butt?"

Chances were that Face was usually on the answering end of that question; Hannibal grinned. "Yep—for now."

Face sighed. "Um…well…thanks."

Yeah. They probably could just leave it at that, or at least Hannibal hoped they could.

Almost any distraction would have been welcomed, but Murdock's startled gasp wasn't what Hannibal had in mind. He turned, hand still pressed against the oozing wound in Face's backside.

The Captain's eyes were wide, fearful, as he glanced around. Panting for air, he tried to sit up but was too weak to do so.

"Lie still." Hannibal wasn't suggesting, he was ordering.

But, Murdock either didn't hear the command or he chose to ignore it. Feebly, he again tried to lever himself up.

"I said…" Raising his voice, Hannibal made sure to get the pilot's attention this time. "…lie still."

Murdock froze, his gaze settling on Hannibal. There was something in those haunted eyes that the Colonel hadn't witnessed in a long time. What was it? He could almost place it.

"You should get some sleep." Hannibal said, watching the man's reaction carefully.

"D-don't wanna…" Swallowing hard, Murdock closed his eyes. "…there're sharks in my sleep."

Hannibal shrugged. "We'll be to the hospital soon. It'll be ok, alright?"

Murdock slowly opened his eyes, his expression sliding into amused astonishment. "Colonel, is your hand on Face's rear?"

"Geez…" Face turned his head so that he was glaring at his teammates. "…that_ had_ to be the one thing he noticed. Yes, Murdock, his hand is on my backside."

Hannibal normally would've allowed himself a little chuckle, but, noticing that distant glaze that settled over Murdock's face, he wasn't in a laughing mood.

"T-they're out t-there…" Murdock whispered, worming his way closer to the Colonel. "…in the jungle…snipers. I can hear them…"

Face cursed; his frustration an echo of Hannibal's own. They both knew that this meant—Murdock had been off his meds too long. He hadn't had bad nightmares or flashbacks in a long time, and the fever probably wasn't helping the matter much.

The Captain pulled gently at the bottom of Hannibal's jacket. Eyes glistening with tears, he stared up. "I didn't tell them anything…" Murdock's face contorted into agony before he managed to regain some composure. "T-they'll come back… I know…" He paused, drawing in a raspy breath. "I won't tell them anything…I promise."

"I know," Hannibal answered softly. He hated seeing Murdock like this; the prison camp flashbacks were the worst. That was where he had seen that haunted look before, so long ago.

It was Face's soft humming that finally calmed the Captain. What was that melody? It was familiar. Hannibal smiled, recognizing the tune from one of Murdock's cartoons. Was it Warner Brothers? Just as the pilot was settling down, nearly asleep, Face went silent.

Hannibal glanced over at his Lieutenant and found the man once again unconscious. With the melody gone, Murdock began to quietly mumble in Vietnamese to himself; it was clear his agitation was growing.

Out of gauze and patience, Hannibal yelled up at BA. "Are we almost there? Things are getting a little dicey back here."

"Five more minutes," BA replied gruffly.

Murdock gave a weak whimper, his eyes squeezed tightly closed and hands balled into fists. His breathing was erratic, labored. They had to get him to calm down. How did that melody go? Hannibal started to hum, but it sounded wrong and had no effect on Murdock. Suddenly the Captain began to flail, his weak arms clawing out for anything to grasp on to.

With one hand still pressed against Face's blood soaked gauze, Hannibal used his other hand to hold the panicked man down. He was just about to holler at BA again when the humming started.

The deep, odd growl of the cartoon melody immediately soothed Murdock; Hannibal could feel the Captain relaxing, his body slowly growing still.

Glancing up, the Colonel made eye contact with BA in the rearview mirror. There was a mark of warning in the Sergeant's gaze, and Hannibal knew from experience that he had to hold his tongue. In the end, they would act as if this had never happened. It was sort of a shame; after all, BA had a beautiful tone to his humming.

Three minutes later, they arrived at the hospital.


	19. Chapter 19 Get Well

**Chapter Nineteen: Get Well**

From a mercifully dreamless sleep, Murdock sluggishly woke. The faint, distance rhythm of beeping had crept into his drug induced rest, drawing him back into reality. Hazy memories surfaced, but he remained calm. The team had come for him; he could remember that. Everything would be ok.

He listened to the beeps, recognizing the steady melody of a heartbeat; it had to be his. Unable to open his eyes yet, Murdock wondered where he was. Instinctively he knew that the lack of restraints ruled out the VA, but it was definitely some sort of hospital.

The urge to move struck him and then fled again. He could feel the fever consuming him, his body radiating heat, ready to burst flames. Every inch of him felt weighted, drained of energy. With effort, he opened his eyes, his burning eyelids protesting the movement.

"Murdock?" A blurry figure moved closer, distinguishable only by the shock of white hair.

He wanted to answer; his mind screamed at him to answer, but all he could manage was a soft sigh before his eyes slid closed and the void of darkness overcame him again.

* * *

><p>BA had been relieved when Hannibal sent him off to keep an eye on Face. The Colonel, in the meantime, would watch over Murdock. Now though, the Sergeant was feeling miserable. Sure the crazy man made him nervous sometimes, not that he would admit that out loud, but Murdock was still Murdock. Plus, the fool had taken care of him when he needed it and now he felt like he had abandoned him. No, that wasn't true. Murdock wasn't alone; Hannibal would be sure of that.<p>

Face groaned, startling BA from his thoughts.

"How you feeling?" BA asked as he stepped closer to Face's hospital bed.

Lying on his belly, IV line snaking to his arm, Face gave another weak groan. "I feel like I was just shot in the butt. They got the bullet out?"

BA grinned. "Yeah, man, they did, and you got the phone number of every nurse in the ward already."

Face glanced up, eyebrows raised. "Really? I don't recall that."

Taking the paper scrawled with numbers on it out of his pocket, BA held it up for Face to see.

"Well…" Face smiled. "…I've certainly still got it." But, his delight faded as his gaze shifted to the door. "How's Murdock?"

BA jammed the paper back in his pocket and scowled. "Hannibal's with him." That was the best he could offer; that was all he knew.

A sad understanding filled Face's eyes. He wouldn't ask for any more details, BA knew that. All they could do now was wait.

* * *

><p>Murdock woke with a start at the cold burning tearing through his body. Weakly, he struggled, suddenly aware of the sounds of splashing. Hands held him still, and voices called out in soothing tones, but he couldn't understand them.<p>

His hand brushed against smooth metal and he fumbled along it, searching for a handhold. If only he could haul himself up and out of the icy water. He shivered. _Why was this happening?_ He wanted to be warm and sleeping, not here in this searing cold. _Where was Hannibal?_

With the last of his energy, Murdock tried again to free himself from the cold, but the struggled fizzled out of him and he lay limply in the hands that held him. Closing his eyes, drowning out the bright overhead lights, he prayed that he would pass out soon, and, thankfully, he did.

* * *

><p>Hannibal frowned. He had been hopeful when Murdock had woken up for the first time in the hospital, but the Captain had been too weak to respond or stay conscious for long. Since then, the man hadn't moved. In fact, even when the nurses tried to wake him, he wouldn't stir. The fever was too high; they'd have to do something.<p>

The Colonel watched from a distance as they lowered Murdock into the icy bath. For a second it seemed like not even the cold water would awaken the Captain, but then, relief filling Hannibal, Murdock's eyes popped open. It was hard to bask in the small victory for too long though, as the fevered man immediately started to struggle; his weak gasps audible even over the reassuring voices of the nurses and orderlies.

Hannibal stepped forward, adding his own soft encouragement to the mix, but it was apparent that none of it was reaching the Captain. Eyes fearful and mouth drawn in a tight frown, Murdock clawed at the walls of the tub. Slowly, he relaxed and his eyes closed. Exhaustion had won out, and Hannibal let a silent curse echo in his mind. He hated this feeling of helplessness.

* * *

><p>BA slid the back door of the van open, watching the nurse scowl at the two flat twin mattresses.<p>

Wheeling Murdock up to the vehicle, the petite blond opened her mouth and then paused. "I-I'll get some blankets."

Grateful that the woman wasn't going to push the questionable conditions of their travel, BA turned to stare at Murdock. The unconscious man was hunched in his wheelchair. He had only been at the hospital for a little over twenty-four hours, and his fever had broken, but he really shouldn't have been leaving yet. Still, it wasn't like they had much choice.

The blond nurse, Susan, had been quite taken with Face, so when she heard the gossip flooding the hospital that the A-team was there, she managed to put two and two together fairly quickly. She hadn't really thought much of the danger to the team until the chatter drifted to the reward the U.S. government was offering for the men. She quickly informed Face and Face told Hannibal and now they were on their way out, before anyone got any funny ideas.

Susan returned with the blankets just as Hannibal was helping Face limp to the van. The Lieutenant was pretty drugged up and would undoubtedly pass into dreamland the moment they were on the road.

Gingerly, BA lifted Murdock into the van and settled him onto one of the mattresses. Susan squirmed her way in and started to ready an IV. The fool was still pretty dehydrated.

BA watched as Susan finished with the line and hung the bag from a peg on the van wall. In his oversized grey sweatpants and sweatshirt, Murdock looked thinner than he really was. Susan pulled a blanket over the pale man and ran a quick hand over his forehead. A faint smile played on her lips as she sat up.

"The fever hasn't come back," she glanced over at BA. "So, that's good, but keep him hydrated. I put another saline bag in that kit I made up for you, and there should be enough of his meds in there to last a whole month. I'm going to be in a world of hurt when that's all found out to be missing, but I don't think that really matters now." She paused, her appraising gaze firmly settled on BA. "You will take good care of him, right?"

BA nodded, unable to find his voice.

She smiled coyly. "And you'll take care of Face too?"

Again, he nodded.

"And…" She crawled out of the van and stood up, her small body suddenly seeming very intimidating. "…you'll make sure he calls me?"

BA looked away. That was Faceman's business, not his, but he would remind him to call. Squirming under her scrutiny, he wetted his lips.

"Yes, ma'am."

She stiffened slightly at the response. He timidly looked up and caught her embarrassed smirk before she walked away. Susan paused briefly to give Face a quick kiss, whispering something in his ear that made the Lieutenant grin.

BA shrugged and rounded the van. He was about to climb into the driver's seat when he spotted his duffel bag. There was one last thing he had to do…

* * *

><p>Murdock shifted, rolling onto his side. There was something different, something comforting, but what was it? He drew in another deep, warm breath and snuggled beneath his blanket. A gentle sway of motion rocked him in a soothing way; that was it! They were on the road. He could hear Hannibal and BA's soft voicing conversing in the front as the steady hum of travel continued.<p>

He wanted to call out to them, to thank them, but he hadn't the energy. He was with his team again, but loneliness suddenly settled over him. Maybe he could find the strength to get their attention; maybe he could…

Murdock started to force himself up, but he stopped. Smiling, he let out a contented sigh. How had BA known? Squeezing Barry tight, Murdock drifted back off to sleep.

* * *

><p>Almost a week had passed since they returned to Los Angeles, and Murdock was almost fully recovered. He still got a little tired sometimes, but he tried not to let the guys notice. He had made them worry enough already. Besides, in another two days he was going to head back to the VA. He had tried to convince the guys to send him back there when they first got back to LA, but they had refused. BA had been the most adamant about Murdock staying with them, which puzzled the Captain, because after he had been so vocal about Murdock staying with them at Face's newly conned place, the Sergeant had all but disappeared for the remainder of the week.<p>

Murdock shrugged off the thought as he crawled into his bed. The big guy cared, and that was all that mattered. With a yawn, he settled down and closed his eyes. Sleep came quickly.

"Murdock!"

The Captain sat up quickly, staring at BA. He cast a quick glance at the clock. It was eleven fifty-five pm.

"Come on…" BA reached over and pulled the covers back. "We gotta go."

Murdock didn't ask any questions. Too many years on the run meant that you knew when to talk and when to obey. Quickly, he sprang out of bed and followed BA through the house. The Sergeant made his way to the garage, meaning they were probably going to have to hightail it out of Face's little getaway.

He followed BA into the garage and then, in shocked silence, paused.

Face and Hannibal both were holding glasses of champagne, grinning over at the Captain.

"Welcome to the party, Murdock," Face said, his smile even more dazzling than usual. "It's all for you."

Murdock took a step forward, studying the white linen clad tables heaped with treats. "What? I-I…"

Hannibal sipped his champagne and then motioned toward the far end of the room. "You'll have to try the fountains. BA has been working on those all week."

Swallowing hard, Murdock glanced in the direction the Colonel had pointed. Sure enough, there were two large fountains, one bubbling with chocolate and the other with white chocolate. Dishes of fresh fruits and sweet breads adorned all the nearby tables.

Murdock grinned. _It was a midnight chocolate buffet!_

He looked over at Hannibal, Face and BA, trying to hide the tears forming in his eyes. "I don't know what to say…"

"Don't say nothing, fool," BA replied quickly, "Just get eating."

Murdock laughed. "Ok, big guy, but only as long as I don't have to tackle all these goodies on my own."

"We're a team, fool. You don't gotta do nothing on your own, not if you don't want to." BA shifted uncomfortably. "We always got your back, ok?"

Both Hannibal and Face nodded in agreement.

"Sounds good to me," Murdock answered softly. "Now, how about we dig in?"

As he turned and sprinted toward the goodies, Murdock could hear the distinct chuckles of all three of his friends. Dipping a strawberry into the chocolate, he watched the dark liquid ooze over the fruit. Slowly, Face limped up beside him and picked up a wedge of bread. Across the room, Hannibal lit a cigar and BA poured himself a tall glass of milk. Murdock sighed. Nothing could be better than this.

_~Fini~_


End file.
